Transformers Prime: The Hybrid Theory
by xXBlack'BladeXx
Summary: A long time ago when Primus fused with Cybertron's core, he gave the Thirteen the ability to create a new race of warriors that would protect all that was good in the universe: the Hybrid. But then the Hybrid fell from grace, and were cast out from Cybertron. Now there is only one hope for the Hybrid race. One hope for the universe. She is the Fuser, and this is her story...
1. The Prophecy

TheProphecy of the Fuser

And when Unicron the Chaos Bringer has been cast out of Cybertron, Primus will give the Thirteen power to create a new race before he becomes the heart of planet. The Thirteen will use this power to create the Hybrid: a powerful intelligent race of half alien blood and half Cybertronian blood. Because of their power, the Hybrid will serve under the Primes and will be given the task of protecting the universe against evil.

But a day will come when the Hybrid will grow tired of following the orders of the Primes. As a result, they will allow evil to enter the universe. For their treachery they will be cast out, and as surely as they are sent to the stars, evil will befall Cybertron, and war will consume it. Darkness will fall over the planet, and all Cybertronians will be forsaken.

But in the time of despair, a flame of hope will rise. One young female of the Hybrid will be chosen by Primus himself to be the last hope for Cybertron. She will be known as the 'Fuser', and she will be a warrior such as none have ever seen. She will be as strong as all thirteen Primes and as wise as Primus himself.

Throughout her life span the Fuser will learn happiness and pain, rejection and acceptance, trust and betrayal. She will face and overcome many struggles. She will form many relationships, but only with the last of the Primes will she bond to as a father and he to her as a daughter. Nothing shall ever sever it.

As she grows the Fuser will face her destiny. She will help bring peace to the universe. Only she will restore the honor of her breed. And Primus will grant only the Fuser sixteen lives to live, and sixteen to endure.


	2. Prologue

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

Ω Prologue Ω

She stood at the front of the room, looking out on all the faces of the students in the class. Some were friendly while others were criticizing with eyes running over her. Others were merely curious, and yet more looked like they just simply didn't even care. Shuffling her black Converse uncomfortably, she ducked her head so her long fiery red locks would hide her brilliant deep blue eyes and her blushing cheeks. She remained completely silent as more students came in from the hall.

A handful more were just shuffling through the door by the time the second bell rang, beginning the class period.

She gulped. Correction: beginning her _**introduction**_. Why was she so nervous? She'd been in and out of more schools than she could count; she should be used to it by now. Yet here she was, feeling like she was going to hurl right there in front of everyone. She wanted the teacher to hurry up and introduce her so she could sit down and get away from the flame of critical stares that were running over her form-fitting black tee, skinny jeans, and fish-net wrist bands. Truth be told, she didn't really care what the other students thought of her. She'd gotten over that a long time ago. She knew that there were always going to be a bunch of jerks who would judge her before they even got to know her. So the kids didn't make her all that nervous. Rather it was just the simple fact that if she stood there long enough… she _**was**_ going to hurl; that's what made her more anxious. " _Hurry it up, Costanza_!" she mentally shouted at the teacher (he bared a striking resemblance to Jason Alexander) who was still sitting at his desk, finishing up an article of the newspaper.

As if he'd heard her, the stocky, bald man sighed and stood up. He polished his glasses before coming out from behind the desk and standing by her side.

She noticed that he was quite a bit shorter than she was—the top of his head just barely came to her shoulder. The roaring laughter that followed his movement to her side told her that everyone else could see the height difference as well. Her cheeks burnt a little hotter. She quickly shifted her gaze down to the tile floor.

The teacher clapped his hands for attention. " All right! All right!" he shouted above them. " That's enough!"

" Yes, Mr. Wheelwright," the students all answered obediently, though there were still a few quiet snickers.

" Before we begin class today," Mr. Wheelwright went on, " there's someone I'd like you to meet. This," he motioned a hand to her, " is Hunter James. She's a new student here."

" No use in gettin' to know her!" a boy shouted from the far back left corner.

Hunter's eyes flickered to him.

He had orange-red hair—much lighter than hers—and green eyes. Something about his air told her that he must've been the school's bad-boy, and those other lunkheads hanging around back there with him must have been his "crew".

" She's a foster kid!" he went on. " She'll be gone before the semester's up!"

For some weird reason, Hunter bristled. She glared at him. " I can make the same thing happen to you right now," she growled threateningly, causing him to grow wide, shocked eyes.

" Ms. James," Mr. Wheelwright mumbled the warning, " you're new here, and I don't want to keep you for detention on your first day. So please calm yourself and take a seat."

Hunter huffed and retreated through the rows of desks to the very back of the room. She tried to ignore the fact that almost every boy in the class—orange-hair and his posse especially—were eyeing her chest and hips eagerly. The fifteen-year-old knew she didn't walk with an extra sway like most girls her age did, but still her hips were there, and for some reason boys found them utterly fascinating. " _Try it one time, guys_," she snarled inwardly. " _Just try it. I _**dare**_ you_."

" I'm sure you'll all make her feel very welcome," Wheelwright went on with a not-so-subtle sarcastic tone in his voice. " Now, after the grades we received on our tests last week, I've decided we should go back to the basics: long division and multiplication."

A collective moan went through the classroom.

Hunter had just slung her backpack down, flopped into her seat, and had made herself as comfortable as she was going to get when she noticed that the boy with the orange hair and his friends were all looking at her with an evil gleam in their eyes. When she turned her head to let them know she noticed it, they all looked away and started talking to each other as if they didn't know anything. Hunter rolled her eyes and shook her head. " Tsh, boys," she scoffed. " Typical." She turned her eyes back to the front of the room where Mr. Wheelwright was proceeding to right an equation on the board.

" Hey, sweetheart," a painfully familiar voice reached her ears.

Hunter blew her cheeks full of air and released it up into her cowlick, causing the strand to blow gracefully for a few seconds before stubbornly settling back into it's usual position down the bridge of her nose. " _Here we go_," she sighed to herself. Then her eyes flicked off to her right and she was met with orange-hair's own deep green ones. " What?" she asked softly.

" Oh, come on now," he taunted flashing her a sweet, flirty, but wry smile. " You can't look at me when I talk to you? Didn't your parents ever teach you it's polite to look at people when they're talkin' to ya?"

His posse seated several desks behind him snickered.

Hunter's deep blue eyes flipped to them, her mouth and nose slightly crinkling in disgust. She just wanted to be left alone. But fortunately, the girl had become accustomed to people like these jerk-offs. She looked back at the boy. The teen studied him for a moment, a bored and emotionless look on her face, then she replied, " My mom died when I was born and I haven't seen my dad since I was three. So no." With a slight toss of her head she flipped her hair and turned her attention back to Mr. Wheelwright, who had since stopped writing, but still hadn't taken notice of her situation at the back of the room.

" What's a pretty chick like you doing in a deadbeat town like Jasper?" orange-hair continued to flirt with her.

" Not becoming your next catch, that's for sure," Hunter mumbled.

" You should be on a runway somewhere, modeling a bikini or something."

" Take it and shove it, buddy."

" My name's Vince, by the way."

" Uh-huh, yeah, good to know," Hunter muttered sarcastically, not really listening. She was about ready to raise her hand and say the answer when a large firm hand was laid atop hers. Then she felt his grip around her wrist tighten into a squeeze. Hunter bristled again. " Let go," she snarled, causing a few more heads to look back in their direction.

" What was that?" Vince questioned as if he hadn't heard.

" I don't like it when certain people touch me," Hunter returned with just as much warning in her voice. " You make the list. Now let me go." She was starting to get really uncomfortable now, and it certainly didn't help when Vince just tightened his grip on her.

" Oh, come on, hot stuff," he whispered. " If we're gonna be a couple, you're gonna have to learn to like it." He slowly began to trace a small circle out on her shoulder. His touch was light—too light—his fingertip barely even brushing against her skin.

An ice-cold shiver shot up Hunter's spine, and she sharply jerked away. She didn't like this. This could be counted as sexual harassment, she was absolutely sure of it. " Don't touch me," she growled, glaring at him. " We're not a couple—we won't ever be. And I don't have to learn to like _**anything**_. Let go!"

By now they'd attracted the attention of all the kids in the room.

Up near the front of the class, three certain kids had also turned their attention on the two with wide, awestruck eyes. One was a tall, lanky, cautious boy of sixteen with black hair. He was dressed in jeans, sneakers and a dark gray T-shirt over a lighter gray long-sleeve. We all know him as—yep; you guessed it—Jack Darby.

The other was a short, spunky Japanese girl of fifteen with pink striped hair. She was dressed in a bluish-purple tanktop over a pink shirt, denim shorts over purple leggings, and knee-high boots. The foreign exchange student, Miko Nakadi.

And the last boy was about twelve, with spiky light brown hair, glasses and a sweater vest over a formal shirt and tie, with cargo pants that almost covered up his sneakers: Rafael Esquivel.

Miko leaned over to the two boys. " Am I seeing things," she whispered, " or is new girl actually turning Vince Van Jerk down?"

" That's definitely a first," Raf whispered back. He had a point. Vince may have been the biggest bully in school, but he was still the most attractive (and richest) one around. All of the girls—save Miko, of course—wanted him and would swoon over him. In fact they practically worshiped the ground on which he walked. It was a good bet that Vince's motto was that he was God's gift to women, because that was exactly how he acted… _**all the time**_!

But yet here was this one girl—one of the prettiest girls they had ever seen—that seemed to already hate him as much as they did. Of course, they didn't blame her because of the way he was acting towards her when she didn't want it, but something told them that even if this weren't happening she still wouldn't want him.

" This girl is definitely something different," Jack agreed.

" I said, let… me… go," Hunter snarled, baring her teeth as she dragged out the last three words.

" Oh, yeah?" Vince huffed with a haughty smile. " And, uh, just what're you gonna do if I don't?"

Hunter smirked. Oh-ho, he _**never**_ should've asked that question! She suddenly wrenched out of his grip and snatched up his wrist. Then she pulled him to her until their faces were just inches from each other. She glared into his eyes. " This."

No one else could believe their eyes as to what happened next. Without even standing up out of her seat, Hunter pulled her hand back and up in the air with such force that she literally lifted Vince out of his seat and threw him across the room. " Hah!"

Everyone else screamed in horror. Mr. Wheelwright looked like he was about ready to have heart attack.

Vince crashed with a yell to the floor. All the air rushed out of his lungs and he laid there, trying to regain it. Suddenly he noticed that all eyes were on him; some people were even laughing at him! His face went red with rage and embarrassment. No one ever laughed at him. No one! He was Vincent Van Horn III! He abruptly sat up and glared off in the direction of the one responsible for his humiliation, and she was there, sitting back in her chair, a smug, triumphant grin across her face. Vince's temper flew sky high. He scrambled to his feet, and, with a look of crazy madness on his crimson face, he stormed back in her direction. " You crazy b…" he was cut off as Hunter's rock hard fist met with his gut.

" The dating game is a two way street, Vince," Hunter snarled, standing up over him. " You think you can get cozy with me without my wanting," she clutched the front of his jacket in her fist and hoisted him up until his feet were dangling several inches above the floor, " you got a whole 'nother thing comin'." She drew her fist back and planted it in his eye, dropping him to the floor as he fell unconscious.

" All right!" Wheelwright ordered running back towards them as if to stop the conflict. " That's enough!" But he didn't get there before another of Vince's crew jumped on Hunter.

" You can't do that to my buddy!" he shouted. He threw a fist at her, but Hunter gracefully spun out of the way.

She smirked up at him. Oh, yeah! Now this is what she was talking about! " Come on, tubby," she remarked on his slightly large middle. " That all you got?"

He made a wide sweep at her head and she bent over backwards. Her palms hit the floor and she smoothly moved into a back arch, hitting him beneath the chin with her feet as she went over.

He stumbled back.

Then another jumped on her.

Hunter took care of him with a swift kick.

Two more came and she back-flipped up and over before landing in an easy perch on Jack's desk, knocking his books and other assorted supplies to the floor. She was waiting for the boys to come when suddenly she looked up to the door. Her eyes bulged wide and her jaw dropped. Mrs. Hickenbottom, the principal! The unpleasant look on the old woman's face told Hunter that she had seen the whole scene and, needless to say, was not happy.

The room went dead quiet. All eyes flickered between Mrs. Hickenbottom and Hunter.

Finally, after an eternity of deafening silence, Mrs. Hickenbottom cleared her throat. She tightened her silvery gray bun before fixing the fifteen-year-old with another stern gaze. " Ms. James?" she said

" Yes, ma'am?"

" My office. _**Now**_."

Hunter gulped and swiftly jumped down from the desk. " Yes, ma'am." Hanging her head she obediently marched out the doorway, the principal right on her heels.

Everyone else stared after them in shock. Had they really just seen that? They'd never seen anyone—let alone a fifteen-year-old—fight like that… or move around a classroom with such fluidity. She was like some sort of acrobat!

" Like I said," Jack whispered, more to himself than to anyone else as he picked his supplies back up off the floor, " that girl is definitely something else." Jack had absolutely no idea how right he was.

* * *

" So let me get this straight," Jack's motorcycle/Autobot guardian stopped him as they zoomed down Main Street in the direction of the Autobot base. " This new girl in your class, Hunter, was getting hit on by the most lugnut-headed jerk, yet biggest heart-throb boy in your school, and she turned him down?"

" Flat down!" Jack exclaimed with a laugh. " Didn't want anything to do with the guy."

" Are you sure she's a girl?" Arcee questioned.

Jack chuckled. " Trust me Arcee," he assured her, " she's is 100% female." He thought back to the gentle curve of Hunter's face. Her fierce, yet gentle eyes that were as blue as the deepest ocean. How her satiny mane graced her neck like a cascading waterfall of pure liquid fire. Her highly toned, but feminine muscles rippling beneath her lightly sun-kissed skin with each move she made. The smooth, perfect, curving hourglass shape of her form…

" Earth to Jack!" Arcee's voice brought him back to the present.

" Huh, what?"

" So what happened then?"

" Oh," Jack said. He was happy to be wearing a helmet that covered his face or else Arcee would've seen the hot blush creeping over his cheeks. It wasn't that he had a crush on Hunter or anything, it was just that… well… she was probably the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Just because he admitted to that it, didn't mean he liked her in that way or anything like that… right? He shook his head, deciding not to think about it. " Well," he went on, clearing his throat, " Vince wouldn't back off even when Hunter warned him, and finally he asked her what she was gonna do about it. Hunter got this look on her face and the next thing I knew Vince was hitting the floor at the front of the classroom."

" She _**threw**_ him?!" Arcee gasped in disbelief.

" Didn't even stand up to do it either!" Jack laughed again. " Just practically flexed her arm and sent him flying!"

" I've never seen a human—let alone a teenager—do something like that."

" Me neither," Jack agreed, " but she did it. And then when his buddies got up to make her pay for what she did, she started back-flipping and karate kicking and doing all this other stuff around the room." He gazed up at the sky with an almost starstruck look in his eyes. " You shoulda seen it, Arcee," he sighed dreamily. " She was absolutely amazing. Her movements were so fluid, graceful…"

" And you have a crush on her, don't you?" Arcee interrupted with the sound of a smirk in her voice.

That snapped Jack out his dreamy state. " What?!" he snapped back. " No! No, I don't have a crush on her! I barely know her, for cryin' out loud!"

" Right," Arcee chuckled in a skeptical way.

" I'm serious, Arcee!" Jack shouted. Suddenly something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He looked up. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of Hunter. " Hey, there she is!" He let one hand go of one handlebar and waved. " Hey! Hunter!"

The teenager turned around with a confused look on her face.

Jack kept waving. He smiled when she hesitantly waved back, then tapped the side of Arcee's alternate form. " Pull over," he said.

The motorcycle beneath him groaned. " All right," she agreed, " but make this quick, lover boy. We need to be getting back to the base." She quickly started to pull over to the sidewalk and came to a quiet stop. Jack was sure right about one thing; Hunter really _**was**_ a pretty girl. Even Arcee had to admit it.

" Hey, Hunter," Jack greeted the girl with another wave of his hand.

" Um, hi," Hunter said back. She looked him over for a minute in uncertainty then laughed. " Ya know, it'd be easier for me to talk to you if I could see your face." She pointed to his helmet.

" Oh! Right," Jack chuckled awkwardly. He quickly undid the strap and pulled the headgear off. " Hi," he repeated.

" You said that already," he heard Arcee hiss quietly below him.

He subtly kicked her, but kept his eyes on Hunter.

" Hi," Hunter repeated. She studied him, trying to come up with a name, but she couldn't think of who he was. She wasn't even sure if she'd met him before. " Um, sorry, but… who are you?"

" Oh, yeah," Jack said, smacking his head. " We haven't really met yet, have we?"

Hunter silently shook her head.

" I'm Jack. Jack Darby. We're in the same math class."

Suddenly Hunter's face lit up as something clicked in her head. " Oh, yeah!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at him. " Jack Darby! You're a friend of Miko's aren't ya? You and that little genius kid, um, uh…" she snapped her fingers trying to search for a name, then it came to her, "… Raf!"

Jack nodded. " And you jumped up on my desk this afternoon in math class," he teased her with a smirk.

A slight blush came to Hunter's face. " Oh," she murmured, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. " Sorry about that."

The boy gave a good-natured laugh. " It's okay." Then a question suddenly came to his mind. " Hey, how'd you meet Miko?"

" Uh…" Hunter's cheeks flushed redder, "… we, um, kinda met in detention." She chuckled and shrugged. " Wouldn't ya know it?"

" Yeah," Jack replied. " Crazy world."

" Yeah."

An awkward silence fell between them for a minute.

Finally Jack broke it. " Would, uh… would you like a ride home?" He ignored Arcee's annoyed growl.

Hunter gave him a small friendly smile. " Thanks," she said, " but I already got one lined up. I'm supposed to meet my foster dad at the gas station."

That's right—Hunter was a foster kid. " Who're you staying with, if you don't mind my asking?"

" Mr. and Mrs. Lennox," Hunter's voice hinted on slight distaste. She must have heard it because she quickly waved her hands in the air as if to ward off conflict. " Oh, don't get me wrong. They're really cool, and Will's in the Army so that's a plus. It's just… they're a little too…" she thought a minute for the right word, "… devoted, ya know? I mean, you should see the room they set me up with. Apparently they must've really done their research on me and went out and bought all the stuff I liked, 'cuz it's like my dream room! My favorite color and everything. I guess I'm just not used to that kind of attention."

" Oh, okay," the boy replied. Then he smiled back. " Maybe some other time then?"

Hunter grinned brightly. " Heck, yeah!" She patted Arcee's windshield. " Miko said you had an awesome bike, and now I know she was right."

They both laughed. Finally Jack bade her goodbye and he and Arcee took off down the street.

Hunter proceeded to walk on down the sidewalk. She came to the intersection. After looking both ways, she continued on across the crosswalk, but suddenly, a red and black Dodge Charger came squealing around the corner. It barreled towards her. Hunter didn't even have time to think before she was rolling up over the hood, slamming into the windshield, flying off the side, and hitting the pavement.

Jack and Arcee saw the entire thing in the rearviews. They both responded at the same time.

" Hunter!" Jack bellowed.

" Decepticon!" Arcee snarled. She pulled a dime-turn U-ey and they came flying back to the girl's side.

As they skidded to a stop beside the unconscious teen, Jack leapt to the pavement, ripping his helmet off as he did. " Hunter?" he questioned urgently, laying a hand on her shoulder and jostling her. He sighed in relief as a moan left her lips. " Hunter?" he repeated. " You okay?"

Slowly, Hunter's eyes cracked open. " Ohhh," came the pitiful moan. She reached a hand up to her head and rubbed. " _What happened?_" she thought to herself. It had all happened so fast. Suddenly, memories of the Dodge and getting slammed into hit the fifteen-year-old like a punch in the face. Adrenaline surged into her system. Not wanting to get run-over again, she forced herself up into a sitting position. Unfortunately she moved so fast that she became extremely light-headed and swayed, threatening to faint.

Jack quickly grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling back on her face. " Shh," he soothed, pulling her in close to help support her. " Easy does it. You got rattled up pretty bad."

The girl leaned against him without objection. " Ohhh," she groaned again, rubbing her head again.

Jack examined her for a minute. Except for a slight cut on her forehead, there wasn't a scratch on her! " Are you okay?" he asked again.

Shaking her head as she tried to clear it, Hunter nodded. " Uh-huh," she answered. " I think so." She pulled away from the boy and cracked her neck, shoulders, and back. Then she flexed her fingers. Except for the shocked and the dazed feeling, which was quickly starting to fade away, she was perfectly fine. Nothing was broken. Nothing hurt. Everything seemed to be in perfect order and she was right as rain. But that's what scared her. A car that had to have been going over 100 miles per hour through town had just plowed over her. She'd rolled up over the hood, slammed into the windshield, skidded over the roof, and flew off the back and to the ground like a rag doll. She should be dead! Hunter ran her hands through her hair, just to make sure everything was okay. " _What's happening to me?_" she asked herself, her heart racing. " _What's going on here?!_"


	3. Save Me

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Hear me, I'm cryin' out—I'm ready now. Turn my world upside down—find me. I'm lost inside the crowd. It's getting loud! I need you to see; I'm screamin' for you to please… hear me…" Kelly Clarkson; _Hear Me_

1

Ω Save Me Ω

Hunter's night was a sleepless one. Her mind was spinning 'round and 'round, trying to conjure up some answer as to how she had walked away from being run over by a car. When no answer supplied itself and she did finally find sleep, she was plagued with strange dreams. In each one there was a planet: not Earth or Mars or any other planet she'd ever heard of, but a strange, distant one—perhaps even in another part of the universe. This planet, whatever it was, was enveloped in a never-ending war. The species that fought this war were huge, magnificent organisms that were not of flesh but machine. Some were friendly and fought for the good of peace, while others were cruel and only sought universal dominance.

In each dream, she was caught up in the war as well. She fought alongside the peace-bringers and was one of them, racing through dust and debris and cannon fire, the light glinting off her scarlet and black-and-silver striped armor. Each battle she fought, she won. The others would all lift her up on their shoulders and cheer, but one of them would simply give her a loving smile. When Hunter saw his smile a warm feeling would wash over her and she would smile back. Then he would take her into his arms and hold her close to him, and that warm feeling of what she'd heard other people call 'fatherly-love' would radiate from his body into hers.

Then it would all disappear in a flash, and Hunter would find herself among the stars, standing before a great glowing light.

" _**Young one**_," a voice would come from within the light, " _**only you have the power to restore the severed bonds.**_"

There was another blinding light and Hunter closed her eyes against it. When she opened them again, what she saw nearly made her heart stop. " _**D-daddy?**_" she gasped.

" _**Hunter, my sweet child,**_" her father's voice boomed as loud as thunder, though it was still filled with love, " _**you must trust the Prime.**_" He was gone as quickly as he had appeared.

And that was when Hunter bolted upright, breathing heavily and drenched in a cold sweat. Her body ached. In some places it ached so badly it felt as if it were on fire, but Hunter's mind was far too paranoid to pay much attention to it. She wiped the sweat from her face. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she rested her chin on them as she stared out the window to the stars beyond. She hoped for something to click in her mind, to tell her what it all meant, but to no avail. Moaning in frustration, Hunter flopped onto her back and kicked the twists out of her sheets. " What does it all mean?" she whispered into the dark. What power? What severed bonds? And what the Sam-holy-hill was a 'Prime'? None of it made a lick of sense. She couldn't make heads or tails of it! Maybe tomorrow, when she wasn't so deprived of sleep, she'd be able to think over it more clearly and find some answers. And with that, Hunter rolled over onto her side, closed her eyes, pulled her stuffed wolf closer, and tried to fall back to sleep.

* * *

Meanwhile, that night in a certain Autobot base…

Optimus turned the new information given to him over and over in his processor. He did not like this; not one bit. " Arcee, are you certain that it was a Decepticon?" he asked, hoping he'd heard wrong. He turned to face the small femme.

The blue and black female nodded solemnly, looking up at her commander; 'serious' may as well have been branded across her faceplate. Looking Optimus straight in the optic, she said, " I can smell a Decepticon a mile away, and only a 'Con would have the gall to do something like this." Then she looked away and shook her head as another thought came to her mind. " But, all due respect, Optimus," she said, looking back at him, " I don't see why we should be concerned about that when there's a bigger question at play here. That girl—this Hunter—is a human. A human that—after being plowed into the ground by a 'Con—got up and walked away from it." She thought back in amazement to the young girl sitting up, looking more shocked than anything. " It barely even scratched her! The most it did was shake her up a little bit and knock her out for a few seconds."

Optimus nodded his awareness of the situation. " I understand, Arcee," he said. " I am quite curious myself." Then he sighed. " But right now, our main priority is to discover if the child is intently being attacked by our enemies. And if so, for what purpose."

" What are you saying, boss 'Bot?" Bulkhead questioned.

The red and blue Prime looked at him, but took in his entire team when he spoke. " I am suggesting that we keep vigil on her."

The others looked at each other then back at their commander.

" You're not suggesting bringing her into the group, are you?" Arcee questioned.

Optimus quickly shook his head. " No. If the girl wasn't in any immediate danger before, that would most assuredly put her there."

" So what then? Curbside duty?" Bulk asked.

" At the moment, it is the only way I see fit to keep watch on the girl without putting her life in jeopardy," Optimus answered with a grave nod.

Just then, Bumblebee let a musical buzz from his vocalizers hit the air.

Optimus nodded once more. " I agree, Bumblebee," he said. " Our three human friends now need as much protection and watchfulness as we can supply them. You three must remain their constant guardians. Hunter will have to have the vigilance of a 'Bot with his—as the humans say—'hands free'."

" And who do you suggest that be, Optimus?" Ratchet asked, not-so-subtle nervousness in his voice.  
Optimus smiled reassuringly at his old friend. " Do not worry, Ratchet," he assured the white and amber medic. " As our physician, you have more than enough work as it is. I will be the one to take on this duty."

The others all exchanged unsure glances. It was true that Optimus didn't have a human to look after and protect like they did, and he didn't have medical and research responsibilities to attend to like Ratchet either. But that didn't mean he wasn't a busy mech. As far as they could say he probably had the most to do: leading the team, dealing with the humans' government, trying to keep all of their identities under wraps, trying to decide what to do should the Decepticons try to strike again. Now he was laying this on himself. Oh, don't get them wrong—they knew he could do it. But still…

" I will start first thing in the morning," Optimus announced. Then a tired look took over his face for a minute. " But right now, I suggest we all obtain some rest."

The others nodded and quickly transformed into their alternate modes before driving through the ground-bridge that Ratchet had prepared for them as they went back to their human companions' homes.

After closing the vortex, Ratchet bade Optimus goodnight and went off to his quarters to power down.

Optimus, on the other hand, didn't move for several minutes. He stood there, frozen, staring at the far wall, as if thinking something over. Finally he sighed, shook his head, mumbled something in Cybertronian, and walked off down the hall to his own room. Once inside, he pushed the door shut with a foot and made his way to the concrete berth on the other side. Slowly, he lowered his tired creaking chassis onto the concrete slab and relaxed. Sighing, he sagged into it. Soon enough stasis found him, but as he began to drift off, Optimus couldn't help but wonder about this Hunter girl. How had she survived the 'Con? And if she was being deliberately targeted by them, why? There was something bigger at play here; Optimus could feel it: but what was it?

* * *

The Next Day

" Thanks for the ride, Mrs. Lennox," Hunter chirped cheerily as she stepped out of the car.

" Well, you're very welcome, Hunter," the friendly, smiling woman replied, " and please, call me Sarah." A concerned gaze suddenly came into the woman's eyes. " Are you sure you don't want a ride the rest of the way to school?"

Hunter fake-grinned and shook her head. " Nope. Fresh air will do me some good." She didn't want to say the real reason, and the real reason was that she was hoping to ditch the red and blue semi that had been following them every curve of the road since they'd pulled out of the ranch's driveway. Something about it just made her uneasy—it just didn't seem normal.

" Well… okay," Sarah replied a little skeptically. " I trust you know the way then?"

Hunter only nodded and closed the door. She waved as her foster mother drove off in the direction of the elementary school to drop off Annabelle, the Lennoxes' six-year-old daughter. Finally her eyes fell on the red and blue semi, waiting patiently at a red light on the other side of the intersection. Sighing, Hunter turned around and headed in the direction of school, which was only eight blocks away.

The light suddenly changed to green, and the semi slowly turned and started following her from several yards behind.

A couple blocks later, Hunter paused mid-stride and turned her head slightly. For several minutes she'd had the strangest sense of being followed, but the feeling had only grown strong enough now to worry her. She listened. The soft idle of an engine reached her ears. Turning around, her eyes fell on the truck… the same truck that had followed Mrs. Lennox's car and the same one she'd left stopped at the red light. Was he following her, or did his route just happen to go the way hers did? Raising an eyebrow and with an unsettling feeling twisting around in her stomach, the fifteen-year-old decided to test it. She kept walking. Turning around the next corner, she marched halfway down the block before looking back.

Yep, the truck was rounding the corner too.

Maybe it was just a coincidence. She walked faster, and then looked over her shoulder.

The truck; still there; picking up speed.

Hunter was really nervous now. " _Don't freak out_," she told herself, taking a deep breath. " _Do not… freak… out. You're fine. You're not being stalked. It's just a coincidence. Yeah, that's all this is. One big coinkidink._" Hitching her backpack up higher, Hunter stared to jog. She could hear the truck pick up speed along with her: the teenager moved faster.

The revving got louder.

" Okay!" Hunter shrieked. " Panic!" She dropped her bag and took off at a full-bore sprint.

And the semi picked up speed too!

" **STOP STALKING ME, YOU FREAK!**" the teenager screamed at the top of her lungs.

But guess what? The truck didn't stop following her!

Hunter was well beyond panic now. In fact it was safe to say that she was right on the borderline of hysteria. She'd heard about people being stalked—she knew how a lot of those stories didn't have pretty endings—but she never thought it would actually happen to her. Not just because she was a teenager with the 'I'm-invincible' attitude, but because she took extremely meticulous care with her personal information. Call her lame, but she didn't have a Facebook page (it was easier to keep the feds and police off her trail anyway… different story). She was sure not to give too much information to anyone but the people she knew she could trust, or the people who had to know. And she most certainly did not go into chat-rooms or anything of that sort on the Internet. She may not have had the best judgment sometimes when it came to certain things, and she made a lot of mistakes—she was a teenager, it was bound to happen—but she was most certainly not stupid. Although, it didn't look like it mattered. Her time had come, and she was getting more than she'd bargained for.

Hunter kept going, pumping her legs faster and faster, dodging and darting around anyone in her way, making dime-tight corners, but nothing she did could shake her pursuer. She didn't feel tired and even if she was, it didn't matter—all she could think of was getting away.

Suddenly, a garbage truck pulled out of an alley, right in front of her.

Without even thinking, Hunter contracted and tightened her muscles, ready to spring. She gracefully hurdled it, clearing the hood by mere inches. Once she hit the other side she didn't miss a step and kept right on going, even with everyone applauding her or asking her what her rush was. She didn't stop to contemplate what she did. She didn't have time to. All she was thinking about—all she had to do—was try and lose that truck. But she wasn't losing the truck. She wasn't even close.

That semi kept right on speeding after her, and there was nothing that could stop it.

With the roar of its engine loud in her ears, Hunter kept going. She wasn't even on the path to school now. She ran right through main-street, swerving and sliding across the hood of cars. Two more blocks down, she jumped onto a pile of crates and swung up onto a roof, sprinted across it, and came down the fire escape on the other side. Pausing to catch her breath, she looked around. Surely that had turned him off. Then she heard the familiar sound of a big-rig engine. Looking over her shoulder, she saw a flash of blue and red. " No! No! **NO!**" She broke into a dead run again.

What felt like hours passed before Hunter finally came across Jasper's four level parking garage.

A light bulb went off in the girl's head. That was it! There was only room for a semi on the first level; he wouldn't be able to drive up. If he wanted to catch her, he'd have to get out of the truck and hoof-it after her. More than likely he wouldn't see it as worth it, but if he did, she'd be able to lose him easily enough then.

Without even breaking stride, the teenager turned off her path toward the cement structure. Sprinting inside, Hunter took time to notice that the only cars parked in here were police patrol cars… and one of them was coming down the ramp toward her. She breathed a sigh of relief. " Oh, thank you, God!" she whispered. Then she ran for the car. Waving her arms in the air she flagged him. " Hey! Hey!" Once he stopped she practically collapsed with exhaustion onto the hood. After getting enough air back into her lungs, she looked up at the extremely tinted windshield. " There…" she panted heavily, "… is a creep… in a… blue and red… semi… following me." She stopped to catch her breath some more. " I tried to lose him," she went on, " but no matter… what I did, it didn't work." All of a sudden a wave of urgency hit her and she slammed her fist into the car's hood. " Now get out of the car!" she bellowed, sick and tired of this cop just sitting there inside his nice air-conditioned confines while she was out here, sweating to high heaven and over-heating.

Suddenly the patrol car roared to life. As if the driver had just suddenly floored it, the vehicle shot forward into her stomach, knocking her down to the ground.

Stunned, Hunter looked up to see it was still revving a stop-start course towards her, pushing her along the rough cement. Maybe hitting the car and ordering for them to get out had not been her best strategy. " Okay!" the fifteen-year-old screamed, more freaked out than ever now. " Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

That's when one of the headlights extended away from the car.

Hunter froze in pure awe and alarm. What the heck was that?! Headlights were _**not**_ supposed to do that!

Suddenly, a sharp perimeter of spikes stuck out around the sides of the light. They spun and began to move in as the light came closer and closer to her. A single beam of energy shot out and scanned her.

Hunter couldn't even move.

Then, just as suddenly as it had extended, the light was retracted, but right after it had settled back to it's normal spot, the car began to move. It transformed into a magnificent display of moving and whirring metal. Parts that had once been car began to take on the shape of a body. Before the fifteen-year-old knew it, she was laying at the feet of a giant robot. It glared down at her in such a way that her blood froze. Without warning, it's hand clamped around her body and she was thrown across the parking garage into the back of one of the patrol cars.

Her body crashed heavily against the back window, shattering it into a million pieces. Shaking her head to try and clear it, Hunter opened her eyes only to have a terrifying, giant, hateful face thrust into hers. The teen yelped and tried to jump off to the ground, but the robot held her down. She looked with wide blue eyes down at the hand of her captor then up into his blood red optics again. Not… good.

" Are you Hunter Starstreaker James?" he growled in an evil robotic voice.

Hunter was too afraid to answer. She just sat there, underneath his grip, staring at him. Why had he asked her name? How did he even know her name?

" Are you Hunter Starstreaker James?!" he roared again, this time with more impatience.

This time, Hunter had sense enough to nod her head. " Y-yes," she barely whispered.

" Do you know why I'm here, whelp?!"

Hunter shook her head. " No."

" Your death and destruction has been ordered by the one and only Lord Starscream!" he relayed the message as if it were that simple.

Fear struck Hunter through the heart like a stake. Her stomach twisted. Death and destruction? Had she heard that right? " Wha…"

" Prepare to die!" The robot released her, raised his hand, morphed it into a mace, and swung it down on top of her.

Hunter rolled off the trunk in just barely enough time to keep from being flattened, but the force of his blow to the car still knocked her to the ground. She was quickly up on her feet and sprinting towards the exit. She had to get out of there!

Suddenly, the red and blue semi that she had been so concerned about earlier, barreled into the garage. It drove straight passed her, its wind blowing her off her feet once again, and went for the robot. Whipping around, its back end took out the android's legs and the 'bot went tumbling forward into a heap on the ground. The truck came back towards her.

Hunter sat there frozen on the cement watching it. Once it started coming back for her, she wasn't quite sure what to do.

Suddenly the big-rig cookied around her so that the passenger side was facing her. The door flew wide open. " Get in!" a deep male's voice, bellowed from within, barked the order.

Hunter quickly evaluated her situation. Either have a 100% chance of getting crushed by a giant evil robot, or have a 50% chance of getting kidnapped. She chose the lesser of two evils. Scrambling to her feet, just as the droid behind her was starting to do, she flew towards the truck and dove inside, the door closing behind her as soon as she hit the floor. " Go! Go! Go! **GO!**"

They peeled out of the garage, the robot transforming into its alternate mode and speeding right after them.

Hunter pushed herself up off the floorboards of the truck and into the seat, then looked over to thank the driver. But what she saw nearly gave her another heart attack. **THERE **_**WAS**_** NO DRIVER!** The fifteen-year-old gasped and shrieked in horror. What the heck was this?! First a giant robot that wanted to paint the cement floor of a parking garage with her blood and now a big-rig that had not only been following her all morning but could drive itself?! She slumped into the seat, head hanging between her knees. Oh, she felt woozy...

Without warning the seat belt suddenly slithered down and buckled her in _**on it's own**_. " Don't get comfortable just yet," a man's voice warned her.

Poor Hunter, as you may have guessed, was now more than a little frightened that a seat belt had moved on its own and that she had heard a voice when there was no one around, but she decided to see just what he meant. Looking in her side-view mirror, Hunter screamed at the sight of the patrol car imposter. " I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die!"

The two vehicles sped down desert highways, the truck racing on ahead, but the patrol car never far behind. Finally, after several miles, the semi turned around a corner, pulled off the road, and drove into a canyon. Slowly, it crept into a dark crevice and switched off.

" Hush now," the voice gently whispered to her.

Hunter listened. She closed her mouth. She barely even dared to breath. But the entire time, she kept her eyes on side-view that reflected the road out front.

The patrol car putted slowly passed, then paused for a moment.

Hunter released a shaky breath, her heart leaping to her throat. She gulped. Her mouth and throat felt dry. She began to tremble uncontrollably and she felt the seat belt tighten around her in what seemed to be a hug.

" Shh," the voice hushed her again in that same patient and gentle tone.

Minutes passed like hours.

Hunter sat frozen in the embrace of the truck and watched as the patrol car idled out on the highway. Did it know they were here? Hunter silently prayed it would move on.

Finally, after an eternity, the car moved on down the road.

Hunter released a dry sob of relief and slumped back into the seat.

Slowly, the semi turned back on, released its parking brake, backed out of the shadows, and turned around. Once it reached the exit of the canyon it stopped. After a minute, it pulled out onto the highway and started to make its way back toward Jasper.

Hunter closed her eyes. She felt her heart rate starting to go back to normal. Her breathing slowed. It was over. The nightmare was actually over.

All of a sudden, a giant force slammed into the side of the truck.

It was all Hunter could do to hold on for dear life as the semi began to spin out of control. She closed her eyes, waiting for it all to end, but when she opened them again, it wasn't the afterlife she was waking up to. She was staring into the battle-masked face of yet another giant robot.

He seemed different than the other. For one, his eyes were a bright, pristine blue, not blood red, and instead of vileness and hate in them, there was a look of concern and kindness. His close presence made her feel safe and warm, not deathly cold like when she was around the other one. And for some odd reason, he seemed vaguely familiar.

For a minute, the robot crouched down beside her. Hunter watched as his eyes ran over her, examining her, making sure she was all right. Then his eyes flicked up to the other android, and look of protectiveness rose into them. He then stood. Hunter's breath was almost stolen away by the revelation of just how big he was.

And boy _**was**_he big! No, big didn't even come close to describing him—he was phenomenally colossal! He towered above her, a perfect metal skyscraper. And he was as magnificent as he was huge. His lower legs and headset were of the deepest blue. His chest and arms were decorated in deep, rich red armor. He stood to his full height, proud and humble at once. A true king. A god of war. And he had seen battle many times before; just by looking at the nicks and scuffs across his chassis you could see that. But there was something about him that went deeper that Hunter could sense. He had ferocity in battle like none other, but he had a sense of honor. He was a defender of the innocent. He could have killed her right then and there as easily as the other, but instead he chose to stand over her—to protect her.

Hunter just sat there in the dirt, staring up at him with awestruck eyes. This was the single most incredible thing ever! The sound of a blade ringing reached her ears, causing her to look in the direction of the other android. But then of course there was always her impending doom to steal away the moment.

" Step away from the girl, Autobot!" the black and white robot snarled, pointing his blade at them. " This doesn't concern you!"

" On the contrary," the red and blue robot retorted in a deadly calm voice, " it concerns me more than you know."

The black 'bot trembled in rage. With a roar he charged.

The 'bot standing over Hunter released a battle cry as well and took off to meet him.

There was a loud clash of metal on metal as the two slammed into one another. From the first, it was a fight to the death.

Hunter, having found her feet by now, stood there, watching. She was completely captivated, unable to peel her eyes away from this terrifying, remarkable scene. What were these things? They seemed to be of the same species so why were they fighting one another? Why was one trying to kill her while the other was trying to protect her? Suddenly a chunk of black body armor was hurtled her way. She barely managed to dodge it. Looking from the metal hunk back to the scuffle, Hunter bit her lip. " _Maybe I should get outta here_," she told herself. She took off toward a cluster of scrub brush several yards away, but even with some distance put between herself and the fighting 'bots, Hunter still didn't feel completely safe. She soon realized that her uncomfortable feeling wasn't for her own safety, but rather for the large red and blue mech. As she watched on, Hunter crossed her fingers and chewed on her bottom lip, silently willing him on. " Let him win," she prayed at a whisper. " If this is a fight to the death, let the big guy win."

Minutes dragged on, neither robot seeming to quit. Eventually it got to the point that Hunter figured there wasn't even going to be a victor. Then all of a sudden, as quickly as it had happened, it all stopped.

The land became quiet, with nothing but a slight breeze whistling across it.

Shading her eyes against the sun, Hunter tried to squint through the thick fog of dust that the scuffle had kicked up. She could make out two dark figures, both lying still.

Then suddenly, one moved.

Hunter felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Which one was it? Her protector? Or her executioner? She watched on with wide eyes as the massive chassis of the victor advanced toward her. The ground shook with each step he took. And that was when the red and blue 'bot came from the dust. It was her protector, just as she had hoped, but all of sudden, Hunter didn't feel so safe anymore.

He still looked as magnificent as ever, even with a layer of dirt over his brilliantly colored armor, but now he looked just as menacing as the other had been. His eyes no longer held that protectiveness and concern from before. Now that look had been replaced with a deadly fierce one.

The thought hit the fifteen-year-old like a freight train. He was much bigger than the other had been, and far more capable of destroying her with just as much ease. Maybe that's why he had been protecting her—because she was his target as well, and he hadn't been about ready for the credit to fall to another. With the other out of the way, he could fulfill his task… alone. From that conclusion, one word took form in Hunter's head: run. But as her mind screamed it, the rest of her body disobeyed. Her legs refused to move. Her eyes refused to look away from his primitive, almost godly appearance. She took a few steps backwards, and she ended up tripping over her feet. Now, as she looked up from her seat on the desert floor, the situation seemed even more dangerous. Whatever little fight/flight protection she could have given herself was gone. Her feet weren't under her, and she doubted that she could get to them fast enough should it come to it.

The mech kept on coming; a seemingly unstoppable force marching towards her.

Hunter sat there, completely frozen, too afraid and awestruck to move. Deadly or not, he was still a magnificent being (she simply couldn't stress that enough). And then of course there was still that nagging feeling in the back of her mind that told her he was familiar. It did seem as though she'd seen him somewhere before—but where? She didn't have time to come up with an answer because by now the 'bot was standing above her, looking down upon her with those piercing blue eyes that seemed to see straight through her and into her heart.

For several minutes, the two stayed in this position, the girl stock-still on the ground and the mech standing over her. They stared at each other, never looking away. Hunter barely dared to breathe, and her heart hammered in her ears.

Suddenly, the 'bot's battle mask retracted, revealing a tender look on his faceplate. That comforting manner of kindness came back to his eyes. He knelt down until he was nearly at her eye level. " Are you all right, young one?" he asked, that same deep voice she remembered from before brimming with concern.

Not able to find her voice, Hunter nodded her head ever so slightly.

Then the mech leaned closer, a look of urgency coming over his facial features. " Are you Hunter Starstreaker James, daughter of the late Marine Sgt. Comet Thunder James?"

Hunter gasped lightly. He knew her name too, and he knew her father's name as well! His actual name, not the nickname that everyone only knew him by: 'CJ'. And he was aware of the fact that he had been reported dead! Once again, the fifteen-year-old nodded.

The mech began to stand. " You must come with me," he told her.

Hunter looked him over. He couldn't possibly be serious. Did he really expect her to go with him after she'd just watched him have a giant droid death match? " Where?" she questioned in a hesitant, but slightly intrigued way.

" All will be explained on the way. The sooner we are moving the better. It is not safe out in the open."

Hunter didn't point out that she didn't see it as safe riding with him when she didn't even know him either. Slowly she stood and brushed herself off. She then looked up at him. " Why?" she asked, still not sure to trust him.

The robot looked down at her. " On the way," he repeated.

Slowly, the girl's eyes drifted passed him toward the still, lifeless chassis of the black and white android.

The mech noticed her gaze and followed it. When his eyes fell on the other robot he smiled in understanding. He didn't blame her for being so apprehensive. All in one day she had been attacked and nearly killed by a robot, and then in that same day she was being told to ride with one that was of the same species as the one that had just tried to destroy her. Chuckling, and drawing the girl's attention as he did, he smiled encouragingly at her. " Do not worry," he assured her. " You will not come to the same fate as he did. I would never dream of hurting you."

Hunter stared up at his winning, gentle face. Her eyes went back to the dead droid then came back to him. Finally, with one last look at his smile, she sighed and nodded her head.

The mech nodded back, then turned into one massive display of whirring and moving metal. His body began to take on the shape of a semi.

To Hunter's amazement, the blue and red semi from before was now sitting in front of her. Eyes wide and mouth gaping with awe, she slowly proceeded toward the open passenger's side door. She put her foot up on the step and grabbed hold of the door panel. With one last look back to the lifeless robot, she closed her eyes and sighed loudly. " _What are you getting yourself into, Hunter_?" she asked herself. Then she hoisted herself up and into the seat.


	4. Meet the Autobots

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Transformers! More than meets the eye. Transformers. Robots in disguise…!" Transformers theme

2

Ω Meet the Autobots Ω

The Nemesis

Thedoors to the sick bay on the Decepticon warship quietly hissed open. Through them stepped a Decepticon. He was quite large, about twenty-nine feet tall, and across his striking ebony black body armor there were etched red tribal markings. His designation was Bombardier. A fitting name it was, as he was short on patience and so hot tempered he would give even the devil himself a run for his money. However, his personality was more than fitting for his career of choice. He was the leader of a group of Cybertronian bounty hunter's who simply called themselves—would you believe it? —the Hunter's. And a merciless leader he was at that. Only the best were part of his group, and even though they referred to themselves as neutral, they were strictly Decepticon. It wasn't just because of the symbols they bared on their bodies, but because all business with them was Decepticon related, and all transactions were with the Decepticon affiliation. Besides, once a 'Con, always a 'Con, right?

As he had expected, Bombardier found the new, self-appointed leader of the 'Cons, Starscream, in the med. bay. The traitorous 'Con stood over the vegetative body of their fallen leader Megatron, who had been in a never-ending coma since the space-bridge explosion a few weeks ago. Bombardier snickered to himself. He leaned up against the wall and crossed his red and black decorated arms over his chassis. " When he wakes up," he announced, a heavy Brooklyn accent in his voice, " he won't waste anytime in puttin' you there."

Starscream's shoulders arched up and he snarled. " I believe it is customary to address your leader by name, Bombardier," he said, looking over his shoulder.

The other 'Con simply shrugged, as if it meant nothing to him.

Sighing, Starscream turned to face him. " What is it?"

" Finally got an answer for ya 'bout that girl," Bombardier answered.

" And?" Starscream prodded, eager to hear more.

" You were right," the bounty hunter said. " She is one of the Hybrid."

" So it took you two endeavors to discover what I already knew the answer to," Starscream mused. He shook his head in disgust. " That will cost you a fair amount, Bombardier," he stated, tsking his tongue. " But I'll bite. How did you discover her… other half?"

" Ya mean besides the fact that she was still up, walkin', and unscathed after our little encounter, while I was left with quite the little souvenir?" Bombardier growled, running a hand over the large dent in his chest armor. " Sent Sledge out early this morning to the last place we saw her. He found her, ran a scan on her. Sure enough, right there, under her skin." He brought out a copy of an x-ray, showing what looked to be a Cybertronian protoform body within that of a human teenager's. " She don't even know it."

Starscream snatched the papers and studied them carefully. After a minute, he lifted his eyes to the others. " You're sure that this was the same child?" he questioned.

Bombardier nodded. " Same hair, same eyes, same clothes, same location—it's too accurate to be a coincidence."

" Excellent," Starscream hissed evilly. Chuckling he turned away, still studying the x-rays. She was right here… practically in his grasp. It wouldn't be long now.

" There's a slight catch though," Bombardier's voice brought him out of his daydream.

" How's that?" 'Scream asked turning back to meet him.

" Sledge never came back to meet up with us," the bounty hunter explained. " Only managed to get that scan sent to us. And when I sent a team out to his last location, all they found was a pile of shredded scrap metal."

" What are you saying?" Starscream snarled, not sure he wanted to hear this news. If their scout hadn't returned and was found dead that could only mean one thing.

" I'm sayin' that I think she's got an ally by now. And you can only guess who that might be."

Starscream growled. His optics narrowed and a feeling of rage rose in his chest. He knew exactly who that could be. " Autobots!" he roared, starting to pace. " That meddlesome Prime and his lap dog team are always getting in my way! Always sticking their nose in my business. Always where they shouldn't be. Well I've had it!"

" So… what do ya want me to do now, Star… _**Lord**_ Starscream," Bombardier corrected himself when 'Scream gave him the evil eye.

The Seeker continued to glare over his shoulder at the mech. " What do you think I want you to do?!" he raged on.

Bombardier shrugged, not the slightest bit phased with Starscream's temper. " My guess would be to keep at the job you gave us?"

" Oh, bravo, Bombardier," Starscream congratulated him sarcastically as he rolled his red optics. " And just how did you manage to figure that one out on your own?"

The bounty hunter simply snickered, not taking any offense. " Keep slammin' me all ya want, buddy," he chuckled, " 'cuz the worse ya treat me, the more I charge."

'Scream sighed loudly. Obviously, there was nothing that could bring this guy down. He began to stroke his chin thoughtfully. " If I was correct about this girl being one of the Hybrid," he stated, almost at whisper, " then I may be right about her being the Fuser as well."

" Lord Starscream?"

Smiling deviously, the self-appointed Decepticon Lord turned to face the bounty hunter. " As I have said, continue with your efforts to discover if this child is indeed the "chosen one" the ancient so eloquently spoke of. If she isn't, well then we simply have one less Autobot sympathizer to worry about."

" And if she is?" Bombardier asked.

Starscream glowered coldly at the hunter. " Kill her… as many times as you have to."

Bombardier grinned evilly and nodded his head. " Consider it done." And with that he left.

Chuckling to himself, Starscream turned his back to the door again and examined the x-ray once more. He sneered sinisterly. " Goodbye… Hunter."

* * *

Autobot Outpost Omega One

On a back road, in the desert outside of Jasper, Nevada, a driverless blue and red semi was approaching the mesa that contained the secret base, Autobot Outpost Omega One. The truck sped right off the road and drove straight for the mesa, but just as it seemed it was going to crash, a hidden passageway opened up like a black mouth in the red rock. The truck drove though and they sealed behind it, completely hidden. The semi drove down a dark, curving passage until another light poured though another opening at the end. It barreled through. Once on the other side, it came to an abrupt stop. The passenger side door opened wide and out stepped a tall, redheaded, blue-eyed teenager.

Hunter, who's heart was still racing from the recent terror of thinking they were going to crash into the mesa, looked around in sheer amazement. This was incredible! The room she stood in the center of was absolutely huge! Spaced strategically and orderly around it were both government issue and alien technology. Hunter looked down at the floor and found that under her feet, painted across the smooth surface of the metal panels was a mechanical face-like symbol that was the exact same as she the one had seen on the robot's steering wheel.

Feeling like she was disrespecting the emblem by standing on it, Hunter started to back up, but stopped when she heard familiar whirring and clanking coming from behind her. Turning on a heel, she looked up to meet a welcoming face.

The large 'bot smiled gently at her and knelt down to her level. " Hunter James," he announced, holding a hand out to their surroundings, " I am honored to be the first to wish you welcome to Autobot Outpost Omega One."

Hunter smiled shyly and nodded before looking around the base again. Then something finally processed in her mind. She turned back to gaze at her new guardian with a quizzical expression. " 'Autobot'?" she queried, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow. " What's an 'Autobot'?"

A low chuckling rumble came from deep within the robot's chest. He only smiled wider at her. " An autonomous robotic organism, or Autobot, is what I am," he answered. " My name is Optimus Prime," he went on.

" Oh, okay," Hunter mouthed the words, then she smirked. " Cool name. I'd, uh…" she started to giggle, "… I'd tell you my name, but I think you already know it."

Optimus nodded. " Yes, I believe I do," he agreed. Then he thought for a moment. " And if you don't mind my saying," he added, " quite a unique name. I don't believe I've ever heard a female of your species being called 'Hunter'."

Hunter shrugged. " It's a common boy's name, usually," she agreed. " 'Hunter' isn't my actual name though; it says 'Huntress' on my birth certificate, which, if you ask me, is a really weird name. 'Hunter' is just the shortened version, and it's what everyone knows me by and what I prefer to be called." She chuckled and grinned. " My middle name's pretty original too. 'Starstreaker'; not exactly what'd you call earthly, let alone common." Wow, that was the most sentences she'd ever strung together when talking to... well _**anyone**_! The fifteen-year-old couldn't help but be a little impressed with herself for that.

Just then a loud crash rang through the otherwise quiet base.

Hunter jumped a mile in the air and whipped around to the sound of angered muttering behind her.

There, across the room, coming out of a small corridor was another Autobot. He was quite a bit shorter than Optimus was, and was colored with white and amber armor. He seemed older than Optimus too… and a lot grumpier in addition. But he paid no attention to them. He didn't even seem to notice them. He just walked across the floor to a bench of tools and began sifting through them, muttering something in a strange language that didn't make sense to Hunter whatsoever.

Hunter began to slowly backup into the shadow of her guardian. " O-Optimus?" she gulped anxiously. She knew that he was probably friendly, but after the day she just had, she couldn't be too sure.

Optimus' gaze shifted from the other 'Bot down to the teenager. He smiled gently. He couldn't blame her for being so wary, especially after what she'd just endured. In fact, he was a little relieved she was being cautious. It told him that he wouldn't have to worry about her going up to strangers of his species (I think we all know who he means) that could have the audacity and compulsion to kill her. He chuckled warmly before standing. " Good afternoon, old friend," he greeted the other 'Bot.

" Hmm?" the old Autobot hummed and looked over his shoulder to see the Prime. " Oh, it's only you, Optimus," he said. He went back to his search, while greeting back, " Yes, good afternoon. Whatever may be "good" about it." He dropped off to some more of that strange mumbling.

Suddenly some dust found Hunter's nostrils and tickled. Before she could stop it, the girl released a loud sneeze.

Turning sideways the old Autobot looked down at her. " Bless you, little one," he said, offhandedly. Then he kept searching. After a second, though, he froze. " Little one?" he muttered to himself. Had he just seen what he actually thought he saw? Another human? Slowly, he turned all the way back around to face a chuckling Prime and a small (by his standards), red-headed, blue-eyed girl peeking out from behind one of Optimus' legs. For a minute the two stared at each other in wonderment. Finally he shook his head. " I, um…" he was at a loss for words. Then he cleared his throat. " Well, well, well," he said, finding his voice, " who do we have here, Optimus?"

Optimus looked down at the girl, smiling warmly. " No need to hide," he soothed. He motioned her forward with his hand. " You may come out. This is our physician Ratchet. He will not harm you."

Hunter looked the white and amber 'Bot up and down once… twice… three times. Then she looked up to see Optimus' charming smile. With one last look back at the other mech, she sighed and stepped out from the safety of her guardian's shadow. She walked in little kid fashion: holding her arms behind her, keeping her eyes lowered, and kicking at the floor. Finally she came to a stop and looked up to meet Ratchet's optics. She made a small, shy wave. " Hi," she barely whispered. " I'm Hunter James. It's nice to meet you…" her voice dropped off. Her eyes lowered to the floor once more and she quickly backed up to lean against her guardian's leg.

Ratchet raised an optic-ridge and looked up at the Prime as if to say, "What's her problem?"

Optimus could only chuckle. " She's a bit timid yet, Ratchet," he explained. " And quite frankly I don't blame her, considering everything she has endured this morning."

" What happened?" Ratchet questioned, though he was sure he knew the answer.

" She was being attacked by a Decepticon, yet again."

" Is that what attacked me?"

The question caused both mechs to look down at the fifteen-year-old.

Hunter looked up at them with wondering blue eyes. " That—_**those**_," she corrected herself as the meaning of what Optimus meant by "yet again" set in on her, " things that attacked me—the car that rammed me last night and the one from today—they're called 'Decepticons'?"

Optimus sighed and nodded his head. " I am afraid so, Hunter. Our enemies seem to have set their sights upon you."

" Why?" Hunter inquired.

" I only wish I knew, little one," Optimus answered grievously.

" I couldn't imagine why," Ratchet stated, kneeling down. He became quiet for a minute, as he looked the girl over, then he looked up at his commander and long-time friend. " Why she's nothing more than a sparkling, Optimus. A sprig of a girl! She couldn't possibly pose a threat to them."

" Hey!" Hunter shrieked indignantly. " I am _**not**_ tiny! I'm six feet two inches tall and that makes me one of the tallest kids in school, along with a few of the boys. And I'm not a kid! I'm fifteen—practically a woman! And if you wanna see a threat, doc 'Bot, I'll give ya a threat." She held up a clenched fist to emphasize her last sentence and shook it.

Ratchet's eyes widened and he practically leaped back. He looked from her up to Optimus in alarm. " She certainly is a… little spitfire of a thing, isn't she?" He looked back down at Hunter. " I meant no offense, little one."

" And stop callin' me "little one"!" Hunter shouted again. It was one thing for Optimus to call her that, but it was totally another for Ratchet to use it. Whenever Optimus called her by "little one" she felt warm and safe. But now that the endearing pet name left Ratchet's lips it sounded like an insult.

Optimus released a warm chuckle. " That she surely is, Ratchet," he agreed with his friend's earlier statement. " That she surely is." He felt another pair of eyes on him. Looking down, he saw Hunter staring up at him in wonder and with a light smile. He knelt down again. " Yes?"

Hunter perched her fists on her hips and cocked one off to the side. Her smile changed to a somewhat mischievous look. " You told me that all my questions would be answered if I came with you," she reminded him. " Well I came here with you and so far, big guy, you've only answered about three of my questions so far; where we are, who you are, and what was chasing me. I've got more questions, Optimus." She grinned and tapped a finger against the center of his faceplate. " A whole lot more."

Optimus grinned at her. " All right, fair enough," he agreed, nodding his head. " What would you like to know, Hunter?"

" You guys are robots," Hunter stated, " but you're obviously not from Earth, and that means you weren't made here either."

" And just what gave you that impression?" Ratchet snorted sarcastically.

Hunter ignored him. " So where did you come from? And why are you here?"

" Fair questions for fair answers," Optimus mused. " And they will be answered…" he smiled broadly, "… along with the tour of our base."

Hunter's eyes suddenly got brighter and she jumped up and down with excitement, pumping her fists in the air. " Boo-yah!" she exclaimed. This was turning out to be the single greatest day of her life!

Optimus laughed at her excitement, then held out a hand for her. He watched as she stepped up into his palm before he stood, lifting her up and placing her on his shoulder as he did. Once she was settled, the two marched off down the hall.

Ratchet watched until the two were out of sight, then he turned back to the bench, having located the tool he needed. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. " By the AllSpark," he whispered to no one in particular, " if I didn't know any better, I'd say those two are already falling for one another."

* * *

As Optimus marched down the hallway, showing her around and answering her questions, Hunter sat perched on his shoulder, listening intently. Her ears strained to catch and hold onto every word. She had always liked history and thought it was very interesting; but with Optimus narrating the history of their kind and how they had come to end up on Earth with his smooth, warm, deep voice, Hunter was absolutely fixated. She wanted to know more. She wanted to hear more. She wanted him to keep talking and never stop. Optimus' words practically painted a 3D full color picture in her mind and she could see everything bright as day, as if it was happening right in front of her… right now.

The complete story is quite a fascinating one, but far too long for the pages of this book… and far too complex for my own comprehending. So I'll tell you in summary.

As it turns out, Optimus and his team had come from a distant planet known as Cybertron. At one time, Cybertron had been peaceful and prosperous… but then, as it so often does, that all changed. Civil war had begun to raise its ugly head on the planet's surface. And it had been a long war. A hard war.

The war, for the main purpose, had been waged for control over Cybertron's supply of a substance called energon, the lifeblood of both Autobots and Decepticons alike, as Optimus had said. But on the side, it was also because the Decepticon Lord, Megatron, had sought to control and rule the planet. His followers took after him. Of course, he had never achieved his dream, thanks to the Autobots, but it was at a cost of many lives… on both sides of the field.

Soon after the war had ravaged the face of Cybertron to the point of apocalyptic proportions, darkness had taken over the planet. Autobots and Decepticons alike had been scattered to the stars; that was how Optimus and Team Prime had come to Earth. But the Decepticon Lord himself had also found his way here, and, from the way Optimus put it, whether it was Cybertron or not, with the Decepticons on Earth and still functioning, the war continued to rage on, out of the sight of the human population.

" So if Megatron's dead now," Hunter mused as Optimus opened up the big metal door to his own quarters, " who's leading the 'Cons?"

" That would be his second in command, Starscream," Optimus explained. " He has since appointed himself as Lord, a position he's felt he's deserved for centuries. And while he is no Megatron, he is no less a threat to us or to human kind." Optimus stopped in front of the catwalk in his room and helped Hunter slip down onto it. That's when he noticed a worried, fearful look on the child's face. " What is it, little one?" he questioned gently.

Hunter didn't meet his optics right away. Instead she stared down at the floor and was silent for several minutes. The mention of his name had caused the reality to smack her in the face again with a whole new meaning. It was all starting to sink in. A ghastly cold grip of fear washed over her and she shivered. " So it's him," she whispered more to herself than to Optimus.

" Hunter?"

That time the girl looked up to see a pair of large, sapphire blue eyes watching her with great intensity and care. " It's him," she repeated softly. She shivered again and hugged herself, running her hands up and down her arms as she tried to ward off the rising goosebumps. " He's the one, Optimus," she choked out.

" What do you mean, Hunter?" Optimus questioned, a quizzical look coming over his faceplates.

" Today, right before you came barreling in to save me," Hunter recounted the event, " when that 'Con came out of his alternate mode and threw me into one of the squad cars…" she looked at the floor again as she remembered the scene, "… he asked me my name. And then he told me that Lord Starscream had ordered my death and destruction." Her eyes came back to his again, brimming with fear and confusion. " He wants me dead, Optimus," she barely breathed as she gulped. " Starscream wants me destroyed… and I have no idea why. Until today, I had no idea things like them—like _**you**_—even existed. So why then?"

Optimus shook his head sorrowfully. To see such fear and confusion on one so young and innocent… it nearly broke his spark. " I do not know, Hunter," he sighed. " I wish I could give you an answer, but I am unable to."

A deep, heavy silence weighed in over the room for several moments.

Just then something out of the corner of her eye caught Hunter's attention. She looked off to her right.

There on the wall, almost hidden in the shadows, was a mural of what looked to a young female Autobot. She stood, erect and tall, a look mixed of pride, humbleness, and determination in her eyes. And they seemed to be trained… directly… on… Hunter.

Hunter couldn't look away from the painting. She stared at it with wide mesmerized eyes and a slightly open mouth. " Wow," Hunter barely breathed. Slowly, she advanced toward the painting.

Optimus, noticing her movements and sensing her sudden fascination, eyed the fifteen-year-old curiously. " Hunter?" he questioned.

The teenager didn't hear him. She kept walking straight for the painting. It was as though it was drawing her in with some unknown, irresistible force. As she got closer to the mural, Hunter began to notice that there was a certain human quality to the girl's face. Even more human than Optimus'; almost as if she were… half human. Hunter's feet came to an automatic stop in front of the mural. She stared up at it. There was a familiar attribute to the female, and Hunter was almost sure she'd seen her before. She just… wasn't sure where. Without even realizing it, Hunter's hand reached up and clasped the medallion on the fine silver chain around her neck. It felt warm to her touch. After several minutes Hunter asked, with her eyes still on the mural, " Optimus, what changed Cybertron?"

Optimus was a little taken aback by the question that seemed to have come out of thin air. " Pardon?" he asked, not sure he'd heard her right.

" Cybertron," Hunter repeated, still not looking away from the painting. " It was peaceful and prosperous once; like an alien Garden of Eden in the Bible. But it changed. Why? What changed that allowed treachery, evil, and sin into your world?"

Optimus raised an eyebrow. What had caused her to wonder such a thing? Nevertheless, he answered her. " Centuries before the war," he explained, " when Cybertron was yet quite new, there were thirteen Primes before me that were given life by Primus, our creator, to help him overthrow Unicron the Chaos Bringer. In time, they accomplished the task. Primus then planned to join sparks with heart of our planet, but before he did so, he gave power to the Thirteen to use for the good and protection of Cybertron. It was thus that my forefathers created a new and ultimate breed of Cybertronians. Half machine and half human, they were known as the Hybrid, the guardians of Cybertron and—some believe—the universe."

" What happened to them?"

" Being the ultimate breed, the Hybrids' only superiors were the Primes. As a result, they served under the Thirteen. For many ages, they kept evil at bay while peace grew and spread throughout the universe. They lived peacefully among the other Cybertronians." Optimus, himself by this time was studying the painting as well. " But with great power also comes great temptation. The Hybrid began to question their place in the society of our world. They were faster, stronger, and, in their own minds, superior to the Primes for which they served."

Hunter felt an inexplicable pang of shame grab onto her heart. Tears pricked at her vision and she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She clutched onto the medallion in her fist ever harder.

" Thus, they began to rebel against their leaders. And in doing so, they betrayed Cybertron by allowing evil to rise and infect the planet. For their treachery, they were cast out of Cybertron, never to be seen again. Many, I am sorry to admit, believe and indeed hope that the Hybrid bloodline was completely and fully extinguished. I myself pray and hope that they found a place in this universe to become a part of, and start over."

" Why would you wish that?" Hunter's choked voice came to his audio-receptors.

" Hunter?"

" Why would you wish for them to find peace after what they did to you?" the girl repeated, a mysterious feeling of shame, pain, and anger welling inside her chest. Several tears had managed to find their way out of her eyes and down her cheeks. " They betrayed you. They betrayed Cybertron!" She looked up to meet his gaze. Deadly seriousness lined every detail of her face. " After everything w…" Hunter broke off the word, as it didn't make sense to be saying "we", "… they did, why forgive…" she had to stop herself before she fell to the near overpowering urge to say "we" once more, "… why forgive them? They were the reason evil came to Cybertron and probably the rest of creation. They were the reason war rose up on Cybertron. They are responsible for the destruction and fall of your planet. So why forgive them?"

Optimus found himself quite startled by her intensity. The tears in her eyes were tears of shame and pain, almost as though she was the one who had done the unspeakable things the Hybrids had done. She almost seemed to be testing him. She was demanding to know why he would be so forgiving of the breed responsible for Cybertron's demise. It was all Optimus could do to answer her. His eyes became just as serious as hers. " It is not as simple as placing the blame of something on one breed's shoulders, Hunter," he explained in a calm, yet firm voice. " It is not simply the Hybrid's fault, though their betrayal played a rather large roll in Cybertron's fall. They did not start the war. That happened several centuries after. And I believe that with or without their betrayal, one way or the other, evil would have found its way into the universe. I cannot say that I would ever condone the ancient Hybrids' actions, but I do believe that I could find it in my spark to forgive them, for no one is perfect. And should I ever come to know a Hybrid in this time I would not despise them for something that their forefathers have done."

" Why not?" Hunter whispered somewhat bitterly.

" Because there are many things from my past and from my forefather's paths that I am not proud of either. Everyone makes their own decisions, and they live by them. Whether those decisions are wise or not, doesn't mean that they cannot be forgiven, or that future generations are responsible for them. Or should be _**held**_ responsible for them."

It was almost as if a little pressure had been taken off some unaccountable, invisible weight in Hunter's chest. A corner of her mouth pulled up in a halfhearted smile. For some strange reason, she felt… relieved… forgiven. She wanted to throw her arms around Optimus, hug him tightly, and thank him for his mercy over and over again, but she didn't for three reasons. One: it didn't make much sense since she hadn't done anything wrong to be asking for forgiveness from him. Two: she couldn't see how she'd accomplish the task, considering how big he was and how small she was by comparison. And three: despite the fast friendship they'd made, it would be just plain awkward.

Another still fell over the room as they studied the mural.

" Who is she?" Hunter asked, breaking the silence.

" She is the chosen one," Optimus explained, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. " They call her the Fuser. In Cybertronian prophecy she is to be the sole savior of the Hybrid. She is to be the most powerful of her breed."

" Responsible girl," Hunter mused with a smirk. Then she noticed the symbols on the sides of the mural surrounding her. They almost looked like Egyptian hieroglyphics, but they were alien. Still, Hunter felt that she could almost read them, but when she tried, she wasn't able to. Finally she turned to Optimus. " These symbols," she said, motioning to them, " are they Cybertronian?"

Without even looking at them, Optimus nodded, his eyes glued to the painting of the young Hybrid.

" What do they say?"

Optimus then proceeded to run his optics over the writing. He was silent for a moment as he read. Then he translated; " And when Unicron the Chaos Bringer has been cast out of Cybertron, Primus will give the Thirteen power to create a new race before he becomes the heart of planet. The Thirteen will use this power to create the Hybrid, a powerful, intelligent race of half alien and half Cybertronian blood. And because of their power, the Hybrid will serve under the Primes and will be given the task of protecting the universe against evil.

" But a day will come when the Hybrid will grow tired of following the orders of the Primes. As a result, they will allow evil to enter the universe. For their treachery they will be cast out. And as surely as they are sent to the stars, evil will befall Cybertron, and war will consume it. Darkness will fall over the planet, and all Cybertronians will be forsaken.

" But in the time of despair, a flame of hope will rise. One young female of the Hybrid will be chosen by Primus himself to be the last hope for Cybertron. She will be known as the "Fuser" and she will be a warrior such as none have ever seen. She will be as strong as all thirteen Primes and as wise as Primus himself.

" Throughout her life span the Fuser will learn happiness and pain, rejection and acceptance, trust and betrayal. She will face and overcome many struggles. She will form many relationships, but only with the last of the Primes will she bond to as a father and he to her as a daughter. Nothing shall ever sever it.

" As she grows the Fuser will face her destiny. She will help bring peace to the universe. Only she will restore the honor of her breed. And Primus will grant only the Fuser sixteen lives to live, and sixteen to endure_._"

As he finished, Hunter made a low whistle. " Wow," she chuckled, shaking her head in an impressed way. " Talk about destiny." She looked at Optimus from the corner of her eye. " For both you and her," she added.

Optimus simply nodded.

" Whoever she is," Hunter continued, " she'll be one lucky girl to have you."

That brought a smile and a surprisingly affectionate gaze from Optimus onto her. " I can only hope she feels the same way," he joked.

Hunter burst out laughing. " You make it _**so**_ hard to build a mushy moment!" she giggled. After a moment her laughter subsided and she looked up at Optimus with another questioning look. " Why sixteen?" she asked.

" What?" Optimus asked, blinking his thoughts back into the present. He hadn't been listening.

" Lives," Hunter clarified. " Why is she granted sixteen?"

Optimus bit his lip and searched his mind for the answer. There wasn't exactly much explanation to that part of the prophecy. There was a suggestion, however. " It is said," Optimus answered after a minute, " that the Hybrid betrayed Cybertron for sixteen years before they were cast out. Thus, in order to restore the Hybrid honor after sixteen years of betrayal…"

" Sixteen lives are required," Hunter finished for him. The girl sighed loudly. " I don't know how she'd be able to do it," she confessed. " I mean, one life is more than enough for me to deal with. I don't know if I'd be able to take dying and coming back to life sixteen times before I got put down permanently. And then the thought of all your loved ones dying while you lived on—it just sounds kinda depressing and lonely to me."

Suddenly Hunter's eyes landed on something that she hadn't seen before. There, in the center of the Hybrid's chest, was a symbol. Its shape was not unlike the Autobot symbols Hunter had seen in the base and on both Ratchet and Optimus. The thing was that, unlike them, it did not possess a face. Between the gold and silver trimmed edges there was the color of ebony black. And then in the very center there were two omega signs: a golden one over a silver one.

Gaping at the symbol, Hunter looked down at the medallion in her hand, then back up at the symbol on the mural, just to see if her eyes deceived her. They were exactly the same! It would make sense, considering that like the Autobot insignia this was the Hybrid emblem—but why did Hunter have one? She was about to consult Optimus when suddenly a loud, heavy, distorted, bone-rattling sound blared through the base. Hunter's hands flew to her ears, but it didn't help block out the sound. She looked up to Optimus. " What the heck was that?!" she shouted, hands still covering her ears.

Optimus chuckled and shook his head. She was about to find out.

* * *

Miko brought her guitar pick down across the strings of her Flying-V electric in a powerful power chord.

Everyone else covered their ears as the distorted, deafening sound rang through the spacious chasms of the base.

" Wahoo-ow!" Miko whooped once the sound had died down to a soft feedback on her amp. " Band practice, baby! Oh yeah!" She proceeded on to play the intro to one of her favorite Slash Monkey songs.

" Hey, guys!" the shout cut through Miko's playing. Everyone looked in the direction of the hallway to see Optimus standing there smiling while a young girl was perched upon his broad shoulder, also grinning a mile wide.

" Hunter!" all three kids exclaimed at the same time.

The fifteen-year-old could only grin wider as she slid down Optimus' arm to the floor.

" So this is where you've been hiding all day!" Miko exclaimed as she watched her friend march across the floor to them.

" We were wondering why you weren't in school today," Jack chimed in.

" What happened?" Raf asked, concern in his voice.

" It's kinda a long story," Hunter chuckled with a shrug. She turned to Jack. " Remember that car that ran me over last night?"

" You were hit by a car?" Miko asked in disbelief.

Jack nodded, ignoring her.

" Well I've come to find out it was a Decepticon! And after Mrs. Lennox dropped me off in town today, and after a little running around town in a panic—completely different story," she glanced over her shoulder to wink at Optimus who in turn winked back, " I got attacked by another. He was about ready to kill me, and would have too, if it wasn't for the big guy here," she walked over to Optimus and leaned his ankle, smiling up at him.

Optimus smiled down at her in return. Then the sound of laughter drew his attention to his soldiers.

" So," Bulkhead chuckled, " curb-side duty paid off, boss?"

Optimus chuckled. " Yes, Bulkhead," he answered. Then he shifted his gaze down to Hunter again. " I can say it did." He knelt down until his face was level with the girl's. Grinning, he motioned to his soldiers, turning her to face them. " Hunter," he said, " I would like to introduce you to the rest of my team. This is Bumblebee…" he pointed to the yellow and black Autobot who released a musical buzz and gave her a friendly wave.

Hunter smiled shyly and waved back.

"… Arcee…" he pointed to the blue and black female.

" Hey," Arcee greeted coolly, but gave Hunter a truthful, welcoming smile.

"… and Bulkhead," Optimus finished, motioning to the big green guy.

" So just who is your little pet, Optimus?" Bulkhead questioned, chuckling as Hunter gave him a shy wave.

" This is Hunter James," Optimus introduced the girl, who by now was shyly gazing down at the floor. " She is the newest addition to the team."

" Whatever I'll be good for," Hunter contradicted with a sudden mischievous grin. " Not much I can do besides play guitar and…"

" You can play guitar?" Miko gasped.

Hunter looked at the Japanese girl and smirked. She put her hands on her cocked hips. " Maybe," she said in a teasing way. " Hand me the guitar and we'll find out."

Quick as a wink, Miko slipped the guitar off and handed it to the other girl.

Laughing at her excitement, Hunter slipped the strap over her head and adjusted it comfortably over her shoulders. Then she took the pick from Miko. After plucking each string and listening to the sound each one made so that she was assured they were all in tune, she gently strummed a few chords to warm up. Then she raised her arm as far back as it would go and released it over the strings in a resounding power chord. She quickly broke into Scorpion's 'Rock You Like a Hurricane', then she went into Guns'n'Roses' 'Sweet Child o' Mine'. She shredded it up into Dio's 'Rainbow in the Dark' before breaking into Metallica's 'Enter Sandman'. Finally she performed a screeching, blistering power slide before finishing out with Boston's tribute of the 'Star Spangled Banner'.

Everyone was silent as the last chord hummed through the air. Then they all burst into applause.

" Wahoo-ow!" Miko bellowed. " Hunt, you put the "power" in "power chord"! Where did you learn to play like that?"

Hunter chuckled, blushing ever so slightly. " I've been playin' ever since I was old enough to comprehend it. So probably since about I was about four." She handed Miko her guitar back. " Besides this I can play bass guitar, drums, piano and I can sing."

Miko grabbed Jack by the front of the shirt and looked up at him as if she'd been hit with the greatest idea since the light bulb. " That karaoke machine is gonna come in handy!" she nearly squealed.

" Oh, joy," Ratchet mumbled sarcastically. " It's the beginning of the end."


	5. A Day With You

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" It's a damn cold night, tryin' to figure out this life. And won't you, take me by the hand take me somewhere new? I don't know who you are, but I… I'm with you. I'm with you… yeah, yeah…" Avril Lavigne; _I'm With You_

3

Ω A Day with You Ω

Despite the fact that it had only been two short weeks since she had joined the team, everyone was starting to see changes in both Hunter and Optimus. They were small at first—barely noticeable. But as time began to go on and the days and nights passed by, they started to become quite drastic.

Hunter was actually smiling. Not one of those fake smiles that she normally wore. No, this one was as real as could be, and could be seen sparkling in her eyes as well as pulling up at her mouth. She was laughing and behaving better at school (though she still managed to get detention some days). She was actually beginning to joke around, and she was becoming more open with people. But as surprising as they were, her changes were nothing compared to those of Optimus'.

The big 'Bot was beginning to show far more emotion: more than anyone thought was ever capable of a Prime. There was hardly ever a frown on his face whenever he was around Hunter. He wasn't such a loner anymore either. Whenever he was around, Hunter was usually seen riding aboard his shoulders or trotting along at his heels. Whenever the two were off spending some time alone, every so often the entire base would be filled with a deep rumbling noise that could only be classified as the laughter of a Prime. But that was the other thing. Optimus Prime? Laughing?! Talk about drastic!

It wasn't long before it was apparent to everyone that the girl and her guardian were a match made in heaven. There definitely did seem to be a very special connection between the two. They allowed each other to show one another their weaknesses, and they let each other know that it was okay to have them. They brought out the best in each other. Heck, in many ways, they were almost starting to become one another. The only problem was that they seemed to be the only ones completely oblivious to it. No one could understand why, but whatever the reason, it didn't matter as long as Hunter and Optimus were happy, and they really seemed to be.

But it wouldn't be long before all of that began to change. And it wouldn't be long before Hunter would begin to need Optimus more than ever.

* * *

" Come on, Thunder, ge'up" Hunter coaxed the black horse. She stood in the center of the round pen at the Lennox's ranch, dressed in gray sweats, a black tank-top, and black Uggs (not a very efficient outfit, but it worked). Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and a cowboy hat was settled over the top. Slowly she turned with each move the young, high-spirited, green-broke gelding made as he trotted around the round pen. Once her foster parents had discovered her talent with horses, Will had told her about a friend he had who was looking for somebody to work with a new horse he'd recently bought. Hunter had happily agreed to work with the animal, and it wasn't two days later that Will's army buddy, Epps, had rolled into the yard with his old battered blue pickup truck and a trailer with Thunder. " Attaboy," Hunter praised the horse as he broke into a smooth lope. She smooched to him. " Good boy, Thunder. Good boy."

The gelding almost seemed to arch his neck with pride at her praise. He pricked his ears forward and picked his knees up higher, as if to show the fifteen-year-old just how good he really was.

Hunter laughed out loud as she watched him. " Don't get cocky now!" she warned him.

Outside the pen, seated on the ground in a relaxed position, Optimus watched on. His optics examined both the horse and his young companion. He chuckled to himself. He enjoyed watching her. It was always amazing to see Hunter in her element: to see her smiling, truly happy and having fun. His spark soared with the sound of her laughter—it was pure music to his audio-receptors. Over these past few weeks, Optimus had become very fond of the young human. Just how fond he had become, Optimus wasn't really sure. He never really took the time to process it, and when he did…

" Hi, Optimus!" the voice of a little girl came to his audio-receptors.

… there were things like this to distract him. Optimus closed his eyes and chuckled. He looked down to see the blond hair and baby-blue eyes of Will Lennox's six-year-old daughter. The little girl watched him with wonder and delight. He smiled down at her. " Hello, Annabelle," he greeted the child. Annabelle held her arms out in a signal to be picked up and Optimus took the invitation. He reached down and gently wrapped his fingers around her tiny torso. He lifted her to his face. " And just how are you today?"

" Okie-dokie!" the six-year-old giggled. That was her favorite thing to say as of late.

Optimus chuckled.

" Hey, Annabelle!"

Both Autobot and child looked in the direction of the round pen to see Hunter standing up on the bottom rail of the fence, arms crossed over the top rail. She watched them with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

" You better watch it, sweetheart," the fifteen-year-old playfully warned the little girl. She pointed up to the large red and blue Autobot and shook her head. " He's _**my**_ big guy, not yours."

The six-year-old giggled. " Don't worry, Hunter," she said. " I know that. My big guy is my daddy, and Optimus is yours. Besides, Optimus just likes me: he loves you."

Both Optimus and Hunter's eyes grew wide as a silence took over the ranch yard, leaving nothing but the light breeze to fill the space. Slowly, Hunter's face started to redden and she ducked her head to hide it in the shadow of her hat. " I, uh…" she stammered, "… I don't know about that, kiddo."

" It's true!" Annabelle insisted. " Optimus loves you just like you love him. Everyone says it and I can tell. You're his little girl and he's your daddy, just like my daddy is my daddy and I'm his little girl. The only thing is he's not really your daddy like mine is, but one day he'll make you his own little girl, and then you'll be a real family, just like me and my mommy and daddy. You'll be together and be happy all the time, and he'll take you on things like picnics, and to carnivals and movies—he might even take you swimming! And every night he'll tuck you in bed and read a bedtime story to you, and then, when he's done with that, he'll give you a kiss and he'll say, " I love you, baby girl," just like my daddy says to me and…"

" Okay, Annabelle, that's enough," Mrs. Lennox voice made all of them jump. They hadn't realized she'd joined them. The attractive blond woman stood in the shadow of the barn, leaning up against the wall, smiling at them. She came forward and reached up for her little girl, whom Optimus promptly placed, in her arms. The woman smiled up at the Prime and gave him a thank you nod. Then she turned to her little girl. " Come on, sweetie, let's go." She began to walk off in the direction of the house.

" But, Mommy," the little girl whined, " it's all going to happen! I know it is!"

" I know, sweetheart," Mrs. Lennox sighed. " I know."

The fifteen-year-old and Autobot watched as the mother-daughter duo disappeared across the yard into the house, then they met each others eyes. For a moment they didn't say anything. All they could do was stare at each other with a hot blush on their faces—then they burst out laughing.

" She may have a mouth on her and an imagination to match," Hunter giggled, " but she's a sweet kid."

Optimus nodded as he chuckled. " Yes, I know. She may not be any relation of yours, Hunter, but I can definitely see you in her."

Hunter smirked. " Do you mean about the mouth, the imagination, or the sweetness?"

Optimus smiled. " All three and more."

The teenager blushed again. " I, uh…" she mumbled rubbing the back of her head awkwardly, "… I guess I've just sorta become her hero since I came here. Little punk's always tryin' to act like me." She tried to put an annoyed sound in her voice, but Optimus knew she really liked the little girl. Hunter would've made an excellent big sister.

Another silence feel over them.

Finally, Hunter looked up at her guardian, who in turn looked down at her. Grinning, she reached her arms up and out in the same way Annabelle did when she asked to be held.

Chuckling, Optimus reached a hand down and watched as she sat down in his palm, and then he hoisted her up to his eye level. He closed his optics and sighed as Hunter wrapped her arms as far as they would go around his faceplate and nuzzled him. " And yet sometimes," he chuckled, " I see more of Annabelle in you."

Hunter giggled. She did have a tendency of acting like a little girl whenever she was around Optimus, but who could blame her? Optimus was just the type of guy that made it so easy for her to let her defenses down and be a kid for once in her life. She told him so. " It's your own fault, ya know," she playfully argued with him, tapping an accusing finger against his cheekplate. " If you just played up that big tough-guy act that you use around your team instead of becoming the big, softy, push-over you really are…" she laughed as Optimus gave her a look, "… I wouldn't be so mushy around you."

Optimus' frown transformed into a warm smile. Slowly he began to nuzzle her back affectionately. " I never implied I didn't relish it," he replied.

Hunter laughed and tried to push his head away. " Take it and shove it!" Suddenly she realized that the top of her head felt cooler. The girl reached a hand up. Instead of the fabric of a hat, she felt only the softness of her own hair. Opening her eyes, the fifteen-year-old looked up to see her black cowboy hat being held between Optimus' teeth. She fixed him with a stern gaze. " Optimus," she warned, holding out her hand, " give."

The red and blue mech only grinned mischievously and shook his head. " Uh-uh."

A corner of the teenager's mouth twitched as a smile tugged at her lips, but she didn't give into it. " Give," she demanded a little more firmly.

Her guardian only held on to his prize tighter.

Hunter couldn't keep the smile away. " Optimus," she repeated, trying hard to keep the laughter out of her voice and failing miserably at the attempt, " give me my hat!" She stood up and tried to grab for it, but he lowered the hand she was sitting in so that the hat was just out of her reach. " Hey!" Hunter laughed, placing her hands on her hips. " Not fair!" She glared up at him.

Optimus in turn watched her carefully and waited, knowing what was coming next.

Hunter lunged out of his hand, snagged hold of the top of his windshields, and tried to haul herself up to his shoulder. Unfortunately her Uggs didn't exactly have the best traction, and she only managed to get herself into a position where she was half-way up and half-way hanging off. Still, even in this position, she tried to snag for her hat, but Optimus threw his head up out of her range. Laughing, Hunter tried to reposition herself made a snag for it again. He pulled it away. " Optimus!" she shrieked. The entire game went on for several minutes until, by some miracle, Hunter finally managed to latch onto the hat. Even then, Optimus was determined not to let go.

He watched the young human hanging onto his chestplates; panting heavily, sweating, and trembling with the exertion of holding herself in place and grabbing for her hat at the same time. He examined her arm, which was taut, as she held onto the hat in his mouth, determined to get it away from him. Her eyes glared at him coldly, but the smirk on her lips told him she was having just as much fun as he was. They stayed that way for a moment, then Hunter started to pull. Chuckling, Optimus pulled his way. Hunter pulled again. So did he. It was a regular tug of war.

" Optimus," Hunter playfully growled through her teeth. " Let. Go." She pulled again.

Optimus grinned wider and pulled back.

That caused the teenager to roll her eyes and scoff, " You're nothin' but a big over-grown pup, ya know that?"

In response, Optimus released his best impression of a dog growl.

That did it: Hunter just couldn't hold it anymore! Laughing hysterically, she released her grip on her hat and fell backwards and down to sprawl out in his palm. " Fine!" she panted between laughs. " You win!" A second later her hat landed over her face, blocking out the sun. Seizing it, she sat up and gave him a stern look.

Optimus gave her his most innocent and cutest puppy dog eyes (which were pretty good considering he was a 36ft tall alien robot commander).

Hunter grinned and giggled. " Oh, Optimus," she sighed, slapping her hat against her leg, " what am I s'posed to do with you?"

" I could ask you the same question, my little one," Optimus replied by way of answer. He lifted her back up to his optic level.

Shaking her head and rolling her eyes, Hunter stood and embraced Optimus' face once more. Sighing happily, she kissed his forehead before nuzzling him again. Gently, she caressed his cheek, feeling the smoothness and warmth of it. A warm feeling began to rise inside her chest. " _What would I ever do without you, Optimus_?" she silently wondered.

Optimus could only chuckle as he closed his eyes and took in the spicy, sweet scent of his human companion. Carefully, he nuzzled her back. Before he knew it, a warm feeling began to creep over his spark. He hadn't felt this feeling in years. What was it? Why hadn't he felt it in forever? And how was Hunter able to raise it up out of him? It was almost like there was a door in his spark that had been locked up for ages; never to be opened, never to allow something like this to happen, until the hinges and lock had gotten so rusty and stiff from being unused that even if he had tried to open it, it never would. Yet somehow, someway, this young, hard-luck, but strong, life-loving, determined girl had found that door, unlocked it, swung it wide open and had walked right on in shouting, "Honey, I'm home!" on the way. " _What exactly are you doing to me, Hunter_?" he quietly pondered. Suddenly, in one movement, he lifted his head up to the sky—making Hunter yelp in surprise as he lifted her up off her feet—and shifted all his weight down onto his arms as he leaned back. When Optimus opened his optics he was immediately lost in her deep blue eyes.

Hunter looked down to her position. She was resting stomach-down across his face, most of the length her long legs dangling over the side of his chin. Most people would've been afraid at the height she was at, but Hunter wasn't. She had no reason to be. She was as safe here as she was anywhere else. Optimus wouldn't let her fall. He never let her fall, and he never would let her fall. Smiling, the fifteen-year-old gazed down into her guardian's friendly sapphire blue eyes, then she hugged him again, tracing out designs on his cheeks.

A comfortable silence fell over them.

After a minute or two, Optimus lowered his head and let Hunter slip down onto his chest. He watched as she slid the rest of the way down his chest and across his mid-plate to the ground.

Hunter then proceeded to climb over the fence into the round pen where she walked across to the gate on the other side. She unlatched it and swung it open, letting Thunder out into the pasture. The girl shut it again. After latching it, she swung around and looked up at Optimus with a wide grin on her face.

Optimus, who had been watching after Thunder, now felt a pair of eyes on him. He turned back to look at the child. After a moment he cocked his head and gave her a questioning look. " Yes?"

" How'd you like to go cloud watching?"

* * *

Optimus sighed contentedly as he laid back in the cool green grass of the Lennox's horse pasture. He enjoyed the way the light breeze felt against his armor. He liked the smell of the fresh air and the grass. Sitting up slightly he stretched his massive legs and arms, and then he settled back down. His eyes went to the bright blue sky scattered with fluffy white clouds again. A smile came to his lipplates and he looked down at the teenager lying in the grass beside him. He chuckled once he saw that she was in the same position as he was: arms folded behind her head and one leg propped up on a knee.

Feeling eyes watching her, Hunter looked off to her left and, of course, was met with Optimus' smile. She ran her eyes over him. Truthfully, this was the most relaxed position she'd ever seen the Autobot commander in. It was nice to see him loosen up for a while. She smiled back at him. Suddenly, she heard that deep rumbling chuckle she loved so much come from deep within his chest. She couldn't help but chuckle back. " What?" she asked.

" Each day we spend together," Optimus replied, " I can see more of myself within you. And yet, I can't help but wonder…" his voice trailed off.

" Can't help but wonder what?" Hunter prodded.

" And yet I can't help but wonder," Optimus repeated, " if that is a good thing."

Hunter laughed. "If that's the case, maybe you should ask the team if I should stay on," she suggested. She rolled over onto her stomach and grinned up at him. " I'm sure they don't want _**two**_ Primes around."

That time Optimus laughed. " No, that would be an unfortunate ordeal wouldn't it?" he asked, smiling more broadly.

" Yep!" Hunter chirped. She looked down at the grass she was picking at. This was the perfect chance to ask him. It had been weighing on her mind for sometime, and Annabelle's little ramble this morning had brought it back to the surface again. But what if she offended him and then lost him? She didn't want to do that, not after she practically just found him, but if she didn't ask him now, she may never have the courage to do it again, and then it would eat her away inside. After a moment of deciding, Hunter finally cleared her throat. " Hey, um, Optimus?"

" Hmm?"

" You know, um, it's been two weeks since we met, and we've been with each other every day and, well, just come to think… we, uh, we don't really know each other all that well. Like our backgrounds and stuff like that, I mean. Don't you think that's weird?"

Optimus opened his optics and thought for a second. " Yes, I agree. Despite all of the time we've spent together, we know relatively little of each others pasts." He looked down at her. " A strange case of events, but one I believe can easily be remedied."

Hunter nodded. " I think so too," she said. " So, here's the deal. I'll ask questions about you, and you tell me what I wanna know. Then you can ask questions about me and I'll answer. No sugar-coating, just the hard facts; plain and simple."

Optimus considered this a moment. " I accept your terms."

" Okay," Hunter said, " me first." Clearing her throat she sat up cross-legged. Then she looked up at him shyly. " Speaking of the team," she began, " do you have… any family?"

" Define 'family'."

" Like, not like the team 'family'. 'Family' as in, like… blood relation and marriage. Do you have a wife or kids or something like that?"

For a moment, Optimus didn't say anything. He just laid there, staring and blinking at her.

" _S__crap_," Hunter thought, gulping, dread hitting every corner of her body. Her heart sped up and her stomach felt queasy. He wasn't answering—she must have said something wrong. But she was too afraid to say anything more, so she waited.

After a moment, Optimus closed his optics and sighed. " I am afraid not, Hunter," he replied, shaking his head.

" Really?" Hunter gasped, more than a little shocked. " Why?"

Optimus gave her a questioning look with his ever-popular raised optic-ridge.

" It's just that," Hunter rushed on, " I figured that somewhere out there, there had to be a lucky Mrs. Prime and little prime-lings, or whatever you Cybertronians call your kids. I mean—and don't take this the wrong way, big guy, 'cuz I like you, just not in this way—you are what we humans would call the 'whole package'. You're tall, good-looking, strong, courageous, intelligent, gentle, sensitive. You listen. You're always there when somebody needs you. You like kids obviously: I mean, come one, who else would put up with me?" They both laughed. " I guess I just sorta figured that a big, strong, handsome mech like you would have gotten married and had children." She grinned and shook her head. " But I guess that's a big 'no', huh? Have you ever thought about it?"

Optimus sighed once more and looked back to the sky. " Many times," he answered his voice sounding somewhat sad. " Many years ago, I was in love with a beautiful femme. We discussed "marriage"—as you call it—and having children—we call them 'sparklings'—but we never did." Then he looked back at the teenager who was watching him intently. He smirked deviously. " However," he added, eying her, " after having spent so much time with you, maybe it is a fortunate thing that I never had sparklings."

" Hey!" Hunter screeched, throwing a wade of grass at his face. " I'm not _**that **_bad." Her eyes suddenly became wide with worry. " Am I?"

Optimus grabbed her and hoisted her up above him just as father would his daughter. " You're impish enough," he retorted. Grinning, he nuzzled into Hunter's middle, making her scream with laughter.

" Optimus!"

Laughing along with her, Optimus paused and relaxed, letting her lay against his faceplate. They remained in this comfortable position for several long moments before Optimus finally opened his optics. He looked up at her. " Now I believe it is my turn, as we agreed," he reminded the resting human.

Hunter looked back down into his optics and nodded.

" Before you came to Jasper," Optimus began, " what was your life?"

That time it was Hunter's turn to go dead silent. Her past wasn't a topic she really liked to talk about... but she had made a deal with Optimus, and she had to keep it... whether she wanted to discuss something or not. " Um, my life… before I came here… was not a very, um… good one," she fumbled, swallowing hard. " You already know that my mom died after giving birth to me, and you know my dad tried to raise me on his own, but being in the military he just couldn't do it—or wouldn't do it—so he dropped me off at the orphanage when I was three. After that, it's all stuff I didn't tell you. I had a stable family, who I really liked, until I was five, and then they had their own kid... so they sent me back. I was heartbroken, but pretty soon another family took me in. That wasn't such a bad place either. I had them for about three years. My first years of grade school were with them and I made lots of friends, but one day, they just announced out of the blue that they were taking me back and that was the end of it. After that I had some more temporary homes, some no more than a month or so. Finally, when I was ten, I was with a family who was actually considering adopting me. Then I got in a fight at school—FYI, I didn't start it, the other guy did—and they sent me back.

" And that's when I realized it. I was just a foster kid that no one would ever really want." A few tears pricked at her eyes and she tired to swallow the lump in her throat. " Just a kid that no one really cared about. I knew I was never going to get adopted. Whenever a family decided to take me on, I wouldn't talk to them, because I was afraid I'd get attached. I'd get into fights at school thinking that it didn't matter if I got in trouble or not because they'd just send me back either way. I started to develop authority issues. A new family tried me, and I'd just go get into as much trouble as possible so I could get out of there. Some families were nice, some not so nice, but it didn't matter. I didn't care and I wasn't in a house long enough to take much notice of it anyway. No friends, no family, really no reason to live." She looked down at her guardian. " Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Optimus stared back at her with sorrowful sympathetic optics. " I am so sorry, Hunter," he apologized, genuinely regretful. " I never should have asked such a question. I had no idea that the lives of humans could be so…"

" Cruel?" Hunter finished for him, giving him a halfhearted laugh. She nodded. " Yeah, you're not the only one with problems, ya know."

Optimus smiled tenderly.

A quiet moment fell between them as they looked into each others eyes. For the first time in either of their lives, both of them, deep down inside, felt truly... happy. Why, they didn't know. All they knew and all that mattered to them was that they were together. And something told them, that no matter what happened, they would always be together.

**/ Optimus, come in,/** Ratchet's voice rattled in over the Prime's comm-link, killing the moment.

At the same time, both human and Autobot released an annoyed moan. " Ugh!" Hunter complained, sliding of Optimus' faceplate to the ground. She waited until Optimus had opened his comm-link before yelling reproachfully into it, " Way to kill the moment, Ratch!" Then she huffed and turned away with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

Chuckling, Optimus watched her in somewhat an amused manner. Hunter truly was something different. Then, shaking his head, he elevated up on one elbow and reported in, " I'm here, Ratchet. What seems to be the trouble?"

/ **I have something here at base that you'll want to see right away. I believe you'll find it quite interesting.**/

" I am on my way." Optimus closed his side of the link. Hearing a slight burst of giggles, he looked down to see Hunter leaning against his forearm, arms crossed beneath her chin as she gazed up at him.

" You in trouble?" she chuckled, her deep blue eyes glittering happily.

Optimus smiled. " No," he replied, shaking his head. " But, my hypothesis is that we will be if we do not set out for the base right now, as Ratchet suggested." He began to rise to his feet.

Hunter stared up at the towering 'Bot with questioning eyes. " What's Ratchet got his olfactory-sensors to now?"

" I cannot say," the Prime responded. " But the sooner we leave for the base, the sooner we will find out." He stared off towards the ranch yard, but then paused mid-stride and looked back at the teenager who was still standing there. " Are you coming?"

A grin a mile wide parted Hunter's lips. " Duh!" she exclaimed and broke into a sprint, barreling passed him. " Come on, let's go! Saddle up!"

Watching after her, Optimus couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. Once again he couldn't help but compare her to other human girls her age he had encountered—Miko included. She was so unlike them. Little did Optimus know was that Hunter was far more different from other girls than he imagined.


	6. Prey

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Hunting you, I can smell you… alive. You're heart pounding in my head…" Evanescence; _Haunted_

4

Ω Prey Ω

" I cannot believe you guys are making me do this," Hunter replied with a snarl. She was seated in the center of the couch, Miko on her left, holding down her arm, Jack on her right, holding down her other arm, Raf seated in her lap and slumped into with as much dead-weight as was possible to just help hold her, and an episode of the show she absolutely hated with a passion, _Spongebob Squarepants_, blaring on the television.

As soon as she and Optimus had entered the base, her friends had snagged her and dragged her up to the living room area on the catwalk. And as soon as she had heard," _Who lives in a pineapple_…" she'd tried to make a break for it, knowing what they were planning. But they had tackled her, wrestled her, and eventually subdued her and brought her to the point they were in now.

" _There's only one way to get out of this_," the girl told herself. Hunter turned her head to look at Jack.

Feeling a set of eyes on him, the boy turned to look. " What?" he asked once he saw the unnerving coldness in her stare.

" I can understand the other two," she answered. " He's twelve, and she's... well, immature and insane—but you? You can't possibly like this show. Jackson Darby, you look be straight in the eyes and tell me you don't like this show."

Jack's cheeks reddened with embarrassment, and he looked away and chuckled awkwardly. " Well, uh, Hunter…" he stammered. Without thinking he lifted his hand—letting go of his grip on her—and scratched the back of his head. " See, the thing is, I…"

" Ha! See ya, suckas!" In one quick moment, Hunter had shoved Raf off her lap, yanked her arm away from Miko, and was up and running off in the other direction, laughing. That was almost too easy! Looking back over her shoulder, the fifteen-year-old realized that all three of her friends were barreling after her. Now was no time to get cocky; she wasn't out of danger yet. If she could just get there before they caught her.

" Hunter, get back here!" Jack shouted after her.

" You're gonna watch _Spongebob Squarepants_!" Miko yelled, a hand cupped over her mouth, " and you're gonna like it!"

" You can't run forever!" Raf interjected.

" No !" Hunter bellowed back over her shoulder. " I'm not coming back! I'm not gonna watch it! I'm not gonna like it! And I don't intend on running forever!" She turned back to see her path was almost to its end, and home-base was right in sight. Lengthening her strides, Hunter went faster. " **OPTIMUS!**"

Slightly jumping at the sound of his name being screamed, the large red and blue Autobot turned away from the map on the computer screen towards the sound of the commotion. He stumbled back as a blur of black, gray, and scarlet slammed with surprising force into his chest. " What in the AllSpark?" He looked down to see a panting and frantic redhead desperately clinging to his chestplate as if her very existence depended on it. " Hunter?" he questioned in disbelief. He watched as she scrambled up to her usual position on his shoulder and hunkered down there. " Hunter, what in the name of Primus is going on?"

Hunter looked up at her guardian. She pointed off towards the other children who were still running towards them. " They're tryin' to make me watch the stupidest most brain-washing show in the history of the planet!"

" Spongebob is not stupid!" Miko shouted back. They were all standing at the end of the catwalk now, looking up at the girl and her guardian, and puffing hard. " It's funny!"

" It's pathetic!"

" It's hilarious!" Jack insisted.

" It's lame and worthless!"

" It's no more worthless than your fairytaleshow!" snapped Raf.

" At least _Once Upon a Time_ has depth, action, and an actual story to it," Hunter retorted. " Spongebob has none of that! He's a stupid sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea, with a squirrel in a wet-suit and a _**pink**_," Hunter hated the color pink, " starfish in swimming trunks for friends!"

" Absorbent, and yellow, and porous is he!" the other three sang back. They all burst out laughing.

Optimus couldn't help but smile at this predicament between these four young friends. He had to admit, it was rather amusing to watch them hash out an argument... whatever it was about. Suddenly Optimus felt a pair of eyes boring into him. He looked over and down to see Hunter glaring up at him. " What?"

" Don't you dare start," she warned him with a growl.

" Come on, Hunter," Jack chuckled, wiping tears from his eyes, he'd been laughing so hard. " Just watch one episode. That's all, we promise."

" Yeah, right," Hunter scoffed. " Don't talk to me like I'm stupid and gullible, Jack, 'cuz I'm not. You'll take me over there, strap me down, and make me watch until my brain has been completely rewritten! Jack, Miko, Raf, you guys can just take it and shove it!" Hunter's classic catchphrase.

" Hunter," Miko snarled, " stop being a big baby and come with us already."

" No," Hunter simply stated. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back on them.

" Hunter…" Jack started, but she cut him off.

" If you guys think I'm gonna go back over there, you're insane. I am staying right here, with my guardian," she patted Optimus' sleek cheekplate affectionately, " where I'm safe from the likes of you and Spongebob."

The other three rolled their eyes and looked at each other. It was useless. Hunter was not going to come back down—she just hated Spongebob too much. Besides, once Hunter was with Optimus, it was nearly impossible to pull the two away willingly… if at all. " Fine, be that way," Miko snapped. She stuck out her tongue at the other girl.

Hunter stuck out her tongue as well.

Jack, Miko and Raf immediately smiled and laughed, then they headed back in the direction of the TV.

As they marched off, Hunter eyed them coldly. She stuck out her tongue again one last time. The fifteen-year-old never could've guessed what would happen next.

With lightening fast reflexes, Optimus' hand snapped up, and he seized her tongue, pinching it between the very tips of his digits.

Hunter's eyes snapped wide open and she released a surprised squawk. Her hands flew to his fingers and she tried to pry them apart, but it was worthless. Her poor, soft, pink, fleshy little taste buds were completely at the mercy of her large red and blue Prime. " Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Hunter half-laughed and half-cried in pain. She looked up into his optics. " Opthimuth!" she shrieked. " Tha' hurth! Le' gaw aw ny thongue!"

Optimus solemnly shook his head. " No," he stated. " I am not going to let go." He fixed her with a stern gaze. " Hunter, they may be your peers, but you must show them respect regardless of it."

Having heard Hunter's shriek, Jack looked away from the TV to see what was happening. He nearly busted out laughing. Nudging both Miko and Raf, he pointed off in the direction of the girl and 'Bot. " Get a load of that," he whispered.

Miko and Raf gave him a strange look, but looked anyway. It was all they could do to stifle their laughter.

" Bu' they thtarted i'!" Hunter retorted.

" Perhaps," Optimus replied, with a nod, " but that does not mean that you must act as they do. Regardless of what they say, it is usually the bigger 'Bot who wins, not the one that stoops to his opponent's level."

At that Hunter smirked. " Ah'm naw a 'Vot."

The mech couldn't help but chuckle. " True," he agreed, " but I believe it works just the same with humans." He released his grip on her tongue.

Releasing a sigh of relief, Hunter shook her head and lightly touched her tongue to make sure it still had feeling. When she was assured it did, she seized it on her own and grinned up at Optimus.

The large mech raised an optic-ridge.

" Thinth vhen ah ooh mah dithiplnarian?" she questioned playfully.

Optimus smirked deviously back. " Since now." His hand shot back up as if to snag her tongue again.

Shrieking, Hunter released her grip on her tongue and shied away. Unfortunately she shied so far away that she fell right off the top of his shoulder.

In a flash, Optimus caught her. Worried, he brought her closer to his face for inspection. " Hunter, are you all right?" he asked anxiously, looking her over.

Hunter just sprawled out on her back in her guardian's palms, erupting in a fit of hysterical laughter, not the least bit hurt. It hadn't even shaken her up.

Optimus could only sigh in relief, smile, and shake his head. He watched as she jumped from his hands back to her spot on her shoulder. The next thing he knew she was snuggling against his cheek, a happy smile on her face. Her eyes were closed as she rubbed her cheek against his and she almost seemed to be… purring? Rolling his eyes, the Prime chuckled and rubbed back. It never ceased to amaze him. No matter how many times this child could get in trouble, or how aggravating she could get, or how big of a responsibility she was at times… she could be just as lovable and cuddly too. " Oh, Hunter," he sighed, " what am I ever to do with you?"

Giggling, Hunter looked up at him. " I could ask you the same thing, big guy, " she responded. She planted a light kiss on his cheek, then reached up behind his antenna and began to do the thing that she had found out Optimus greatly enjoyed: she scratched.

It was the cutest and most comical thing ever seen. Suddenly, Optimus trembled. All the tension in his chassis melted away, and it was all he could do to keep from collapsing limp to the floor. He released a sigh that was practically a moan and his optics drifted shut. A dreamy, contented expression took over his face, then he actually leaned into it, begging her for more. It all came down to two words: sweet ecstasy.

Hunter burst out laughing, but kept on scratching as she did. " I was right!" she exclaimed. " You _**are**_ just a big, overgrown pup."

Optimus opened one eye to a slit and looked in her direction. " Silence, child," he ordered. Then he closed his eye again and released another pleasured sigh. He leaned even further into her touch.

Hunter couldn't help but giggle and roll her eyes at him. Then the most unbelievable thing happened: Optimus actually stuck his glossa out at her! " Optimus!" she yelped, smacking his chin causing him to open his optics and laugh. " Now who's stooping to whose levels?" She shook her head and laughed. " How do you expect _**me**_ to behave when _**you**_ don't even behave?"

Optimus smiled gently at her, that warm feeling becoming more and more prominent with each second that ticked by. " I suppose I just expect that you will have the common sense to be better than I am."

Hunter smiled affectionately back and wrapped his face in a hug. She closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek into his once again. " Somehow," she whispered so only he could hear, " I don't think there could be anybody better than you." She kissed his cheekplate again before reaching back to scratch behind his antenna once more. " You are my best friend, Optimus. I don't know what I'd ever do without you."

" Truthfully, Hunter," Optimus whispered back, " I am not sure what I would do without you either."

A warm silence passed between them for a moment as they simply reveled in each others nearness.

Opening her eyes, Hunter looked up at the computer screen. She studied the map for a minute before her eyes fell on the small blue blip. " Energon deposit?" she questioned.

Optimus nodded.

" We gonna go check it out?"

Once again Optimus made a wordless nod. Then he turned around, typed in the coordinates for the deposit, pulled the lever, and marched off across the room towards the opening vortex known as the ground-bridge.

" Guys!" Hunter shouted back over her shoulder. " When you see Ratchet, tell him the big guy and I went out to check for energon."

Without even looking away from their show, all three humans lifted their hands in an 'ok' signal. " Got it," they all replied.

Nodding, Hunter turned back to watch as Optimus was just about ready to enter the swirling green vortex. Suddenly movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked. It was Ratchet... and this was just too good an opportunity to pass up! " Hey, doc 'Bot!" she called. Ratchet absolutely hated it when Hunter or any of the other humans went on missions with their Autobot companions. He felt that they got in the way and could get themselves or others hurt.

Ratchet looked in her direction. Once he saw what was happening he froze and his eyes widened. He dropped the tools in his hands. " No," he breathed. " Not again!"

Hunter had already gotten into trouble on a mission a few days ago. The Autobots had been out on recon. and Miko had followed... as usual. When Decepticons had been sighted, Hunter had powered up the ground-bridge herself and had run out to save Miko. Once she had entered the field the 'Cons had caught sight of her and had made it their responsibility to target her specifically. Optimus had saved her of course, but Hunter had just barely managed to make it away with her skin.

Ratchet broke into a run to try and stop them. " Wait, Optimus!" he called. But he was too late.

" See ya, Ratch!" Hunter said with a salute as she and Optimus disappeared through the vortex.

* * *

" Did you see the look on his face?!" Hunter laughed. The ground-bridge had since closed and they were now patrolling the forest, looking for the energon deposit. Hunter was sprawled out across Optimus' shoulder, laughing so hard she was crying. " He was like, 'Oh, scrap! Oh, scarp! **OH,** **SCRAP!**'" She started to gain control of herself and sat up, panting and drying her eyes. " One word, big guy: hi-larious!"

The mech laughed then shook his head at her. Hunter just had a way of giving Ratchet spark-attacks every other day, whether she was trying to or not. And even though he didn't necessarily condone it, the Prime still had to admit—some of the ways she came up with were pretty clever. " You are quite the little deviant, Hunter," Optimus replied. " In all honesty, I must say that I find it astonishing Ratchet hasn't done away with you himself yet, considering the amount of anxiety and trouble you inflict upon him."

Hunter grinned at her guardian. " Oh, Ratchet would never do that," she assured him with a shake of her head. " He may play big, tough, and crabby, but he's a regular old softie." Suddenly she stood up, signaling to Optimus that she wanted down, and slid down his extended arm to the soft forest floor. The teenager sprinted ahead a few feet and then allowed herself to bump against his leg. She caught his ankle in an affectionate embrace. " Just like you," she teased, smirking up at him.

Optimus scoffed and playfully rolled his optics at her.

" Hey don't give me that look," she scolded, pointing an accusing finger at him. " You might be able to fool your team and the other kids, but you can't fool me. I see you in your downtime, Optimus Prime. I know how you act, I know when you're relaxed, and I know that you care about me as much as I care about you."

Chuckling, Optimus knelt down and gazed into her face. " Perhaps you are right, Hunter," he agreed, nodding his head.

" Heck yeah, I am!"

Laughing and shaking his head, Optimus studied her for a moment. She looked slightly different, standing before him in her gray sweatpants, black Uggs, and black tank-top instead of her usual attire, but the gleam in her eye and the smirk on her lips told him that even if her wardrobe had changed for the day, she hadn't. She was the same precocious high-spirited little spitfire she had been the day he met her. Well, maybe not "little", as she had pointed out to Ratchet that day.

After a moment of silence from her guardian, Hunter perched her fists on her hips. " What?" she asked.

Grinning, Optimus chuckled again. " I am simply thinking about the day we met," he answered warmly. He sighed. " Do you remember, little one?"

Hunter grinned and snickered. " Kinda hard to forget, since it was only a couple weeks ago, and considering all the excitement that happened that day," she remarked. " After all, you _**were**_ stalking me." She smirked at him, then turned away with her fists on her hips and marched of a ways, an extra sway in her step.

" I was never stalking," Optimus retorted, playfully, aware he was taking the bait. " I was simply observing."

Hunter turned back to face him. " Po-ta-to, Po-tah-to," she said. " Call it what you like, but you majorly freaked me out either way. You in all your loud, big-rig, red and blue glory."

Optimus nodded thoughtfully. " Possibly," he said, smirking himself. " But let us not forget that you were the one that called me a—as you say—"freak" that day as well."

Hunter blushed and looked away. " Touché," she replied.

Optimus grinned. Yep, that was always Hunter with the comeback. Then he laughed, causing her to look at him.

" What?" the fifteen-year-old inquired, starting to smile herself.

" Despite how many attempts on your life the Decepticons have made in these two weeks, Hunter," Optimus remarked, still laughing, " you, young one, have not changed a fragment from the moment I met you." He poked her in the stomach.

Hunter yelped and skittered away. She then wrapped her arms over her stomach, laughing as well. " What's there to change?" she joked. Then she went on to quickly add, " Wait, don't answer that."

Both of them laughing, they moved on in the direction of the energon deposit.

A good half-hour had passed before they finally came upon the small collection of strange alien blue spires protruding from the ground.

Once she laid eyes upon it, Hunter released a low whistle. " Wow," she breathed. This was the first time she'd ever seen an energon deposit. " So this is what an energon deposit looks like."

" Well, a small one," Optimus corrected her. He put a hand to his headset to open his comm-link in an attempt to contact Ratchet about their discovery, but once the channel was opened, all he could hear was a warbling static. Raising an eyebrow, the Prime tried again. The same result. " _How peculiar,_" he thought to himself. Something must have been jamming the signal. The question was: what? Suddenly a twanging sound and a familiar scream grabbed his attention. Optimus spun around to see that Hunter was no where in sight. " Hunter?" he called out. " Hunter, where are you?"

" Up here!"

Optimus quickly looked up to see his companion, dangling high above his head, her foot caught in a noose, and a pitifully embarrassed expression on her face. The mech couldn't help but smirk and release a small laugh. But soon that small laugh was a roaring guffaw, and it wouldn't stop coming.

Hunter snarled at her guardian. " Optimus, it's not funny!" she shrieked. " Do you have any idea how painful this is?"

Gaining control over himself, Optimus looked back up at her. " You are right, Hunter," he agreed, nodding and still trying to stifle a laugh as he did. " I should not be taking enjoyment in your situation… no matter how…" he started to crack up again, "… comical it may seem."

Hunter rolled her eyes and released an exasperated sigh. " You're a whole lotta help, ya know that?"

" I apologize, little one," the mech replied, getting the last of his "giggles" out of his system. " Here, let me assist you."

Hunter crossed her arms over her chest, rolled her eyes, and scoffed.

" Oh, yeah," she said. " _**Now **_you wanna help me... _**after**_ you've had a good laugh at me!"

Optimus fixed her with a cold stare. " I can leave you there while I excavate the deposit," he threatened sinisterly. " Would you like that?"

That's when Hunter smiled sweetly and batted her eyes. " I sowwy," she apologized, mimicking Annabelle's way of saying sorry whenever she was trying to butter someone up.

Chuckling, Optimus reached up and helped her get loose. Once she was sitting comfortably in his palm, undoing the noose around her ankle, Optimus shook his head at her. " You should really watch where you're going, Hunter." He moved to set her down.

Hunter sighed as she stepped out of his hand to the ground then smiled up at him. " I know, I know. Look before I leap."

" Oh, but then you miss out on so much fun then," a male voice with a thick Brooklyn accent replied.

Hunter whipped around and Optimus primed one of his cannons. Before them, on the other side of the deposit, was another Cybertronian. He was decorated in black and red armor, and he looked at them with a certain evil gleam in his optics and a sneer on his lipplates. In the very center of his chest, was a purple Decepticon symbol, proudly bared.

Hunter took a cautious step backwards to her mech. She eyed the 'Con carefully. " Optimus?" she asked in a suspicious way. An uneasy feeling gripped onto her stomach. She, of course, was not a Decepticon fan by any means, and didn't trust any of them a scrap. But this one was different in a certain way. He seemed… familiar somehow. Way too familiar.

The 'Con seemed to notice her recollection of him. His eyes flickered to her and he smiled deviously. " Ah, so you do remember me some, tidbit?"

Hearing the new nickname, Hunter snarled. What was it with these guys and calling her short?! Seriously!

Optimus prickled too.

" 'Cuz I remember you all-too-well." The 'Con reached up and ran a digit over a large dent in his chest armor.

Hunter gasped in horror. " You were the one," she barely whispered. She pointed a trembling finger at him and managed to declare a little more loudly, " You were the car that hit me!"

The 'Con simply snickered and grinned even more evilly.

That was enough for Optimus to go into battle-mode. Extracting his battle-mask and one of his blades, the Prime pointed his cannon at the 'Con. " Identify yourself, Decepticon," he ordered.

The 'Con's optics left the teenager and met Optimus'. The smile left his face and a bored expression shadowed it. " Bombardier," he answered.

" Why are you here?"

At that Bombardier chuckled evilly again. " I think you already know the answer to that." His eyes came back to Hunter and his smirk widened into a freakishly demented grin.

Hunter gasped and recoiled, knowing exactly what he meant. Why? Why were they always after her?

Optimus stepped between the teenager and the 'Con, forming a massive wall of solid metal and battle experience. " If you wish take her, Decepticon," he growled, " you will have to go through me."

The 'Con chuckled evilly. " As you wish." No sooner had the haunting words left Bombardier's mouth, than he whipped out a orange-yellow high-powered electrical whip and snapped it in Hunter's direction.

Acting at the same time, Optimus immediately shoved Hunter out of the way with his foot, which unfortunately for him, is exactly what Bombardier wanted. The tendril wound tightly around the Autobot's left ankle, sending a paralyzing electrical surge through his systems. " Gaahh!" Optimus threw his head back and gritted his teeth in excruciating pain, then collapsed to his back on the ground, smoke rising up off his joints and electrical burn.

" Optimus!" Hunter cried. She rushed to his side. Kneeling down and resting one hand on his headset and one on his battle-mask, the girl examined her injured and heaving companion with a critical eye. He was trembling with the pain, already sweating coolant, and she may not have been a medic, but she didn't like the look of that burn. " Big guy? You okay?" she whispered into his audio-receptor, hoping that the wound's bark was worse than its bite.

Her guardian turned his head towards her and met her eyes. " Hunter..." he forced out through clenched teeth, "... run. Run..."

Hunter set a stubbornly determined look on her face and shook her head. " I'm not leaving you," she stated.

Hearing her declaration, Bombardier chuckled. " How sweet."

Hunter whipped around and was about ready to snap something offensive back at him when she realized that they weren't alone.

Four more Decepticons seemed to have materialized out of thin air. Two were female, one about as tall as Arcee, maybe slightly bigger, and the other was maybe only four feet taller than Hunter. They were both black with blistering flame designs painted onto their armor, one blue and one ghost-flamed. The other two were male. One was red with a fierce looking dragon design etched onto his chassis. He wasn't quite as big as his leader, but had just as much bulk. The other was a sickly looking green, and by human standards, he looked as though he would've been anorexic.

As a group, all five 'Cons moved in to surround the human and the wounded Autobot. They extracted blades, primed cannons, and got ready to make quick work of the two.

" Hunter, run," Optimus strained again.

Not listening, Hunter slowly rose to her feet, and instinctively rolled into a ready position, though she knew it wouldn't make a difference. Her deep blue eyes darted from one 'Con to the next. Sweat beaded on and slid down her forehead as terror crept agonizingly slow through her body. Not good.

" Ooh!" the blue-flamed femme exclaimed. " Check out the physique on this mech." She advanced towards the Prime and trailed a delicate digit over his chestplate and down his side, admiring every contour of his chassis. " Rrreowr," she purred seductively.

Hunter's hackles raised. Without even thinking, the fifteen-year-old seized hold of a dead branch that was about as thick as her fist all the way through, leaped up onto her guardian's chest, charged across, and jumped, swinging the makeshift club with all her might. " Get your slimy claws off him!" She swung the branch with such concentrated force, that when the branch connected with the femme's faceplate the consarnded thing splintered into a million pieces, sending violent tremors up Hunter's arms, leaving her nerves stinging with the vibrations. Ignoring the pain, the teenager landed in a crouch on the ground, a six inch wooden stub—all that was left of the branch—in her hand. Throwing it away, she stood back up and rolled into a 'come-with-it' position. " Touch him again," the fifteen-year-old rumbled, " and you'll get far worse, I guarantee it."

The femme stumbled back and fell to the ground, just barely managing to catch herself from falling flat on her face. Slowly she raised a hand to her face and just barely touched her digits to her cheekplate. She took them away and was met with the aqua-blue of her energon on their tips.

The dragon 'Con roared with laughter. " Wha'd'ya know?" he guffawed. " The brat actually made Snare leak!"

" Shut up, Fang!" Snare spat. She snapped back around to glare at the child in question, who was still standing there glaring back at her. " You urchin..."

" Easy, there, sis," the ghost-flamed femme tried to soothe her. " Remember what Mom always said about your energon-pressure."

" Stuff-it, Blackout!" The blue-flamed femme lurched to her feet and lunged for Hunter, ready to rip her to shreds.

Suddenly, all of Hunter's courageous bravery that she had felt when defending Optimus, vanished, and she froze. All she could do was stare at the on-coming 'Con in terror.

" You little glitch!" Snare roared. " I'll tear you apart!"

Snare was almost on top of her now. Hunter squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself, waiting for the pain to come and the darkness soon to follow... but it never came. Instead the sound of crunching metal reached her ears. Carefully cracking an eye open, Hunter checked to see what was going on. With a gasp, she stared at the scene before her.

Optimus was sitting up, and he had one massive hand wrapped around Snare's throat in a strangle-hold. As the femme struggled and clawed at his digits, he was glaring into her pinkish-red optics with an unmistakable death glare. The Prime hadn't looked this vicious in all the time Hunter had known him—not even during the last time he'd saved her from the 'Cons! Right now, he looked like he would kill. Slowly bringing Snare closer, the Autobot commander lowered his faceplate to hers until the very tip of his battle-mask was just touching the center of her faceplate. He held this position, glowering at her for a moment more. Finally he spoke. " If you so much as lay a single digit on her," the mech's voice was so soft and deadly calm that it sent a shiver up and down Hunter's spine, " it will be the last move you ever make. Do _**not**_ make that move." With that he threw her across the clearing to crash against a tree, then he slowly rose to his feet. The pain from his burn was still terrible, but he had to bear it—for Hunter's sake.

So, rolling into a ready position, Optimus made sure was between each Decepticon and Hunter. His optics darted around to each foe. Carefully, thoroughly, but quickly, he studied each and every one of them, looking for every flaw, every weak spot, every advantage he had. He'd dealt with worse before. Much worse. But that was before he became a guardian. That was before he had a child who really, truly needed him. That was before that child was standing right next to him in the center of this pack of 'Cons. " Hunter," he said after a minute, drawing her attention, " when I tell you to run, you run. Run and don't look back."

Hunter's eyes widened. What? Hadn't he heard what she'd said before? They were a team; they didn't leave each other behind. Besides he was hurt! " Optimus, I already told you. I'm not..." the teenager tried to protest.

" Do as you're told!" Optimus snapped, that curt, strict edge of a commander coming into his voice.

Hunter closed her mouth and didn't question further, deciding it wasn't worth arguing with the mech. However she still sounded hesitant when she answered, " Yes, sir."

" Yeah, that's right, tidbit," Bombardier taunted, drawing her attention. " Do as he says. Run. Run away and never return."

" Heh!" Snare acidly huffed as she pushed herself back up to her feet. " That's what our plan for you is."

" Way to give up the secret, Snare," Blackout said.

" It's not like they didn't already know," the smaller female retorted.

" Enough you two," Bombardier sighed at the sisters. Then he looked back at Hunter. " But just out of curiosity, how did you take the news, tidbit?"

Hunter growled and glared at him. " Take it and shove it," she hissed.

" Ooh!" Fang laughed. " Big-talker are we? This one's got quite the mouth on her, Bomber."

" No need to worry," Bombardier replied, never taking his eyes away from her. " We'll fix that." He took a step closer towards the girl.

One step too close.

Roaring, Optimus lunged. He managed to tear one piece of armor off before Bombardier started fighting back. The 'Con slammed his fist against Optimus' face several times, hoping to make the 'Bot release his grip on him, but Optimus snapped right back, with just as much force. He seized the 'Con by the chest armor, hoisted him up and slammed his fist in his chest, causing Bombardier to fly back into the deposit. The energon was immediately crushed beneath Bombardier's frame, but at that point, energon was not of importance. Hunter was.

A roar came from behind and Optimus turned to meet the dragon 'Con. He extracted a blade and swung, but was blocked by the other. He pulled back and the two thrust their blades at each other again. There was a deafening ring that went through the air as they met. Then the two females joined. They had him outnumbered, but Optimus—even if he was injured—had them outmatched, as well as possessing greatly added incentive to keep fighting. " I'll take you all on!"

For several minutes it went on, neither 'Con nor 'Bot letting up. Then finally one of the femmes threw a kick at Optimus head. Hunter cried out to warn her friend, but the female caught him under the chin anyway, causing him to stumble back. She spun away just as Fang came charging forward, blade raised.

" Prime, Fang!" Hunter called, but she was too late.

Optimus felt a sharp sting of pain stab through his middle. He looked down to see a long deep gash across his abdomen, profusely leaking energon. Panicking, he spun around to find Hunter. " Run, Hunter!" he bellowed. He grimaced at the pain that went through him and pressed a hand to the gash.

The teenager stood there, watching him with absolute fear in her eyes, but she didn't move. She was too horrified to move. Her eyes were locked onto his new wound. " Optimus..." she choked out.

" Run!" Suddenly, the 'Cons jumped onto his back, hauling him down to the ground. Optimus placed a hand against the ground and hoisted himself up, 'Cons and all, onto his knees to look at her. " Run, Hunter!" he yelled again. " Go! I will find you! I promise!"

Reluctantly, shaking her head as she did, Hunter backed away, a few tears starting to find their way down her cheeks. Then she turned on a heel and broke into a dead run, disappearing into the forest. Each step she took away from him absolutely killed her.

Optimus watched with pained optics as she ran out of sight, then, with a surge of anger pushing through him, he roared and tried to throw his opponents off. He was successful in throwing off Blackout, but he was weak from his wounds and from the amount of energon he'd already lost and was unable to loose the others. Still he fought: he had to keep fighting. He couldn't give up. Hunter was out there—she needed him to protect her. Panting, gritting against the pain and ordering himself not to give up, the Prime tried to throw them once again, but it was no use. They were too strong, and he was too weak. Suddenly, a large black and red foot was slammed down into the ground in front of his face. Slowly, he looked up into Bombardier's eyes.

" Not so tough now, are ya, Prime?" the hunter mocked him. He stood at full height, head held haughtily in the air, and fists on his hips. " Looks like the Hunter win this one."

" You have not won yet, Decepticon," Optimus snarled back.

" Oh, but I think I have," the 'Con snickered, " because now your precious little Hunter... is mine."

" Not while I still function!" Optimus spat back.

" Well, then, I guess I'll just have to make sure you're not functioning." Bomber brought something out of one of his interior compartments and held it up to the light: a large needle and syringe. He studied it for a minute, then he smiled evilly down at the Prime. " Get ready to say nighty-night, Prime!" And with that, he jammed the needle down into a muscle cable of Optimus' neck and began to inject the fluid.

" No!" the Prime bellowed. He tossed his head and the syringe went flying away from Bombardier's grasp to break against he ground several feet away. " I will never let you take her, Bombardier! For as long as I live I will fight for her! You can never win, Bombar... Bombar..." he dropped off and his optics slowly closed. He slumped forward, barely held up by his captors' grips.

Bombardier snarled. " Scrap it!" he snapped. " Blasted Prime!" He sighed and looked at his team. " Blackout, Snare, Fang, after her now."

" But I thought…" Fang began.

" It's not enough to kill him," his leader interrupted. " But it will keep him asleep… for now. So, unless you wanna take on the wrath of a Prime while you're trying to kill his little girl, I suggest you get your actuators moving and peel out after her!"

The femmes and the dragon all nodded, dropped the Prime flat on his face, transformed into their alt. modes, and zoomed off.

Watching as they disappeared into the distance, Bombardier addressed the sickly looking 'Con. " Contagion," he said, " release Lacerator."

* * *

Hunter ran blindly through the forest. Thorns and branches constantly snagged onto her clothes or cut across her skin, but she simply pulled tore away and ignored it. She could only register two things. One: doing what Optimus had ordered her to do. And two: Optimus was hurt! She couldn't get the image of the waterfall of blue life-fluid oozing out of the cut across his stomach or the electrical burn around his ankle out of her head. She wasn't a doctor, but even she knew that his wounds were bad. What really ate at her, though, was the fact that there was absolutely nothing she could do for him! Not only was she not a medic, but she didn't have the necessary tools, and even if she did, she highly doubted that she would know what to do with them. " _Please help him_," she silently prayed. " _If there's anything you can do, help him. Don't take him away from me._"

Finally Hunter had to come to a stop. Sliding behind a tree, she pressed her spine flat against the trunk. Panting heavily, she tried to slow down her breathing and calm herself, then she released a series of hysterical sobs. She literally slapped herself across the face. " Snap out of if!" she scolded herself aloud. " You're acting like such a sniveling little wimp! Crying is not going to help Optimus or you, so suck it up, pull yourself together, and think!" Taking a slow deep breath, Hunter closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down.

" Okay," she whispered to herself after a minute. Then she began to brainstorm. " Focus now. Optimus is wounded," the words were toxic waste rolling off her tongue. " You're all alone and outnumbered. You have no weapons, no possible means of fighting them… not that it would matter anyway; you're a human, so yeah, they got you outmatched too. You have to get yourself and the big guy out of here. Now think… what do you do?" Hunter wracked her brain for an answer. Finally one came to her. " You call for backup!" Quick as a wink, Hunter slipped out her smartphone and proceeded to contact the base through the emergency frequency. Putting it to her ear, she was met with the gut-wrenching sound of warbling static. Groaning in frustration, she pulled the device away from her head and glared at it, shaking her head. " Typical." For a minute she glowered at the phone, as if she could evil eye it into submission and break through the static. Then it hit her. Texting! The 'Cons could jam the comm-link frequency, but not the texting frequency! She just hoped that one of her friends had their phone with them and had it on.

Hunter clicked the texting app., chose her contact, and quickly began to type in her message:

* * *

**Ambushed by 'Cons.**

**OP hurt bad.**

**Need backup immediately!**

**~Starstreaker~**

* * *

Hunter was just about ready to press 'send' when all of a sudden something broadsided, locked onto her arms, and dragged her down to the ground. The fifteen-year-old found herself staring up into the face of a robotic creature she had never seen the likes of before.

It looked like it was part wolf, tiger, lion, and dragon, and it glared down at her with one, big, red eye. It was probably about eight feet tall, if it stood up on its hind legs—which, judging from the joints, was something it could definitely do—but from the shoulders on all fours, it probably stood about six feet. Foot-long sharp claws occupied its feet. The razor sharp teeth that protruded from its gaping roaring chasm of a mouth had to be at least six inches long and solid steel. A mane of extracted barbed spikes collared its neck and covered the shoulders and the top of the head. Its long, whip-like tail held a merciless looking dagger at the tip. Thick, rusty colored armor and a vicious roar completed this metal monster. Releasing a roar that sounded like the resounding unnerving groan of a train, the beast thrust its wide-open jaws down towards her face.

Grunting, Hunter pulled her arms from its grasp and caught its mouth. Using all the strength she had she managed to hold it back, but with each move the creature made, a surge of pain went through her as its fangs sunk deeper and deeper into the palms of her hands. Hunter watched as the blood oozed out hot and sticky between her fingers and ran down her wrists. If she didn't do something right now, this thing was going to rip her hands off! Straining, the teenager pulled her legs up and jammed her feet against the beast's chest. She bit against the pain as she tightened her grip on its muzzle and pulled herself up closer to its head. For a moment she was staring directly into its eye, then she forced all of her power down to her legs and shoved into the creature's chest. Howling and roaring, the beast jetted backwards. Hunter was propelled over into a crouch. She began looking around for her phone. She had to send that message!

Finally her eyes caught it. For a minute, a wave of relief rushed over her, then she realized that her phone was lying on the ground several feet directly _**behind **_the beast. " It always has to happen to me," she moaned. Then, summoning all her gutsy courage, she broke into a run straight for the creature. When it came at her and tried to swipe her with its claws, she leaped over it. Her palms met the ground on the other side and she rolled through a somersault onto her feet and was running again. She was almost to the phone when the beast whipped its tail out and swept her legs out from under her. The fifteen-year-old fell flat forward on her chest, all the air rushing from her lungs.

The creature started to get up and shake itself off.

At the same time, Hunter shook her thoughts back into place and army crawled for her phone. She was just reaching out to grab it when something wrapped around her ankles. " No! Ahhhh!" She was pulled away and flipped back over to face the beast.

Raising a clawed foot, the beast swiped at her stomach.

Hunter screamed out in pain as one of the claws ripped into her abdomen. Clenching a fist, she swung it up against the side of the monster's head. Immediate pain flooded her systems as she made contact with not only the hard metal but with its mane of barbs as well, but it had enough force behind it to knock the beast off her chest. Biting her lip against the pain, Hunter rolled over and scrambled for her phone. She grasped it and clicked send, a relieved smile on her face. Then she was grabbed again.

The creature lashed its tail down, lodging the dagger tip into the ground right beside her head.

Hunter's eyes widened and she studied the weapon, then she glowered back up at the creature. There was only one way out of this. Raising her hand, her phone clenched tightly in her fist, she slammed it down into the beast's optic.

Screaming in agony, the creature pulled away and clawed at its face, trying to dislodge whatever had caused the pain.

For a moment, Hunter stared at the sparking circuitry protruding through the cracked optic lens, then she pushed herself up. She paused as she regained her balance, then she seized hold of the beast's tail and pulled to get its attention. She was successful.

The beast whipped its head around and roared angrily. His prey had caused him pain. His prey would pay!

A tremor went through Hunter's body at the sound of its roar. She swallowed hard. " Here, kitty, kitty," she taunted. She yanked.

The beast spun around and came at her.

Hunter was ready. As soon as the beast lunged for her she sidled off to the side, wrapped an arm over its head and neck, and pried its jaws wide open. Ignoring the pain shooting through her arm from the barbs, she took the dagger and jammed it up through the beast's head. Sparks scattered around them. The teenager jammed the dagger up into the roof of the creature's mouth until the knife protruded well through the top of the head.

The beast trembled in pain. The light in its eye flickered for a moment, before completely fading away. With on last groan it finally slumped in her grasp.

Hunter sighed with relief. She released her hold on the beast and dropped it. " And stay dead," she panted heavily. Her eyes came to the destroyed cell phone lodged in the creature's head. " Well," she said,

" it's a good thing I got the warranty on that." And at least the message had gone through. Now all she could do was hope that Jack had gotten it.

For several minutes the fifteen-year-old stood motionless, staring at the body of the creature, trying to comprehend how she had known what to do, how she had had the strength to fight it. Things just got stranger and stranger by the minute. But know wasn't the time to contemplate over them, not with a hoard of Decepticons on her tail. Backing away from the scene, Hunter glanced around. She needed something to use as a weapon. Her eyes came to the dagger lodged in the beast's head. Kneeling down, she grasped it, pulled it out, ripped it off the tail, and stuck it down inside her boot. Scrambling to her feet, she took off at a run.

No sooner had she disappeared into the distance than the two femmes and the mech came stomping across the scene of the battle. Sighing heavily, Fang knelt down beside the body of the fallen beast. " Well, that's it for Lacerator," he stated. He ran his optics over the creature and stopped once he found the absence of the dagger. " Hmm," he hummed in somewhat of an amused way, " smart girl. Used his own weapon against him and then took it for her own. She's thinkin' like a warrior already."

" Makes ya wanna kill her all the more doesn't it?" Blackout snarled.

" Yeah," Fang growled. He stood and looked around. " Where is the little brat anyway?"

" This way!"

Blackout and Fang looked up to see Snare across the clearing, pointing off in the other direction. They exchanged an evil sneer then charged off after the subject of their quarry.

Once the ground had started to rumble and quake beneath her feet, Hunter knew that they were close. Panting, eyes wide with fear the redhead glanced around for someplace to hide. Finally her gaze fell upon a fallen hollowed out log. Sighing, she sprinted for it and practically performed a baseball slide to get inside. Once she was in she made an effort to catch her breath, but it was a short-lived effort because moments later the rumbling got louder and it was only seconds before the sound of their feet was right outside the log.

Barely daring to breathe, Hunter carefully peeked out of a hole at the base of the log. That's when two black and blue flamed feet suddenly appeared outside. Hunter gasped and cowered against the far wall of her hiding place. She covered her mouth to keep from screaming—that's when she realized just how bad her hands were trembling.

Outside there was a frustrated growl. " I thought you said she came this way!" Fang's voice roared.

" Ah, cool it, Fang," Blackout's voice came. " If Snare said she came this way, then she came this way."

" Then why don't I see her, Blackout?!" Fang shouted back. The ground shook and the stomping got louder as he came closer to the log. Then all of a sudden the black and blue feet disappeared as Fang must have lifted Snare off the ground. " Where is she if she came this way then, Snare?! Huh?! Where is she?!"

" Hey, you can't do that to my little sister!" Blackout's voice shrieked. There was a roar and suddenly the whole ground was quaking with the sound of a giant wrestling match.

" Let me go!" Snare shouted indignantly. " Let me go, or so help me, Fang, I will jam my foot so far up your tail-pipe your great-grandsparklings with feel it!" The fighting ceased and an unnerving quiet took over the forest for a second.

Hands still clamped over her lips, Hunter almost jumped out of her skin when she felt something crawling across her shoulder. Just barely managing to keep from screaming, the girl looked to see a spider slowly tickling its way over her shoulder. She closed her eyes, her muscles slackening in relief. Just a spider. Thank God, just a spider.

" Snare," Blackout's voice returned, " you're sure the kid came this way?"

" Of course I'm sure!" Snare snapped back in an annoyed way.

" When have I ever been anything but?"

" Well then, where is she?" Fang asked again.

It was at that moment that Hunter felt something creeping across her leg. Then there came a quiet hiss. Slowly, she looked down. Her eyes widened in horror as she was met with the sight of her only pathological fear: a snake. Hunter couldn't take it anymore. She released an earsplitting scream. Outside, one of the 'Cons said something, but she paid no attention. Adrenaline hitting her system, the fifteen-year-old kicked the serpent away and scrambled out of the log as quickly as she could. No sooner had she exited the log than she was jumped. Once more she found herself on her back, staring up at the face of Snare.

The small femme sat straddled over Hunter's middle, hands pressing her shoulders to the ground. She sneered dementedly down at the human. Once Hunter tried to yell, she clamped a rough hand over her mouth. " Hush, now, none of that," she snickered evilly. " Besides, with as deep a power-down as that tranquilizer put him in, your big Prime won't be able to hear you anyhow. All we wanna do is have some fun. Or at least… _**our **_kind of fun." She grinned even more evilly. " Now when I take my hand away, you won't scream, because if you do, we'll never be able to play the fun game I have planned. Understand?"

Hunter nodded her head but if this femme actually thought she was going to listen to her, she was far more insane than Hunter had originally thought.

" Good," Snare said. She slowly moved her hand away from Hunter's mouth.

The minute she had clearance, Hunter spat in the 'Con's face.

Snare remained silent, but the look in her optics was anything but. Her frame trembled in rage. It almost looked like she would smite Hunter with hell-fire and brimstone at any second. Wiping the saliva from her faceplate, she raised her hand and landed a hard smack across the teenager's face. " Insolent whelp!" she roared. " Bombardier won't even have to cut me my share of the payment; it will be just as pleasurable to kill you without it!" She seized Hunter by the front of the shirt and hoisted her up in the air. " You little brat! First I'm gonna make a hole in your belly, pull your intestines out, knot 'em around a stick, and drag you for a mile with it! Then I'm gonna rip your still beating heart out of that little chest of yours and hold it in front of your face until the very spark has left your eyes! What'd'ya think about that?!"

Hunter's face twisted for a moment in disgust at the mental image. This 'Con had quite the creative mind, she'd give that to her. By now, the fifteen-year-old had dug the dagger out of her boot and was holding it tightly in her hand. Growling, she thrust the knife forward into the femme's spark chamber. " I think if your gonna kill someone, kill 'em! Don't stand around talking about it!" She yanked the dagger back out.

The spark left Snare's eyes and the small femme crumpled to the ground.

Hunter tore herself free from Snare's hand and got to her feet. A laser whizzed passed her head and she spun to face the other two 'Cons.

" Snare!" Blackout screamed.

" You'll pay for that, kid!" Fang roared. He fired again.

Hunter swung the dagger and deflected the shot. Another one came and she blocked it again. She deflected a few more before turning on a heel and taking off into the trees once again.

" Don't let her get away!" Blackout screamed. " I want her! She's mine now!"

" Don't worry," Fang assured her, retracting one cannon and priming another, " she won't."


	7. Screaming for You

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" And you held it all... but you were careless to let it fall. You held it all, and I was by your side... powerless..." Linkin' Park; _Powerless_

5

Ω Screaming for You Ω

" Okay," Miko said, " so what movie next?" She proceeded to dig through one of the two large boxes of movies they usually kept at the base for their viewing pleasure. After a minute she pulled away with two movies in her grasp. " _The Wolfman_," she held out the horror movie for Jack and Raf to see, " or _X-Men_?" she held out the other.

" Hmm," Jack hummed, taping his chin. " I don't know. How 'bout you, Raf?" he asked the younger boy.

Raf pushed his glasses up on his nose and studied the movies carefully. After a full minute he shrugged as well. " Beats me. They're both good movies."

Miko looked at the two features as well. Hmm, how to decide…

Suddenly the sound of the ground-bridge booming caught all of their attention. They looked down to see the arrival of their Autobot guardians, then they looked at each other. " How about we get their votes?" Raf suggested. When the other two had agreed they ran to the edge of the catwalk.

" Hey, guys!" Miko called drawing the 'Bots' attention. " We have a slight dilemma here." She held out the movies. " Which one should we watch."

Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee all looked at each other in disbelief. Seriously? Out of all the questions in the world, they were being asked which movie to watch. Since when had they become human movie critics? But taking it in stride they examined the movies. " Better not watch _The Wolfman_," Arcee sighed. " Hunter hasn't seen it yet."

" And she made Optimus promise to watch it with her," Bulkhead put in.

Just then Bumblebee chimed in with a musical hum.

Raf nodded. " Bee's right. Hunter's got a crush on Hugh Jackman, and she never misses _X-Men_ when it's on. She wouldn't forgive us if we watched it without her."

" So… _Jaws _it is then!" Miko cheered, running back and replacing the two in her hands for the said flick.

Suddenly Jack's phone started going off. Quickly slipping it out of his back pocket, the boy flipped it open. His brows furrowed.

Arcee quickly took notice. " Jack?" she asked. " What it it?"

" It's a text message from Hunter," the sixteen-year-old answered.

" What's it say?"

" 'Ambushed by 'Cons,'" Jack read. " 'OP hurt bad. Need backup immediately.'"

" Where's Ratchet?" Arcee asked, spinning around. Once she spotted the medic coming out of the hallway, she was on him. " Ratchet, bring up Optimus' and Hunter's last coordinates now!"

* * *

Hunter hit the ground so hard it knocked the wind out of her. Rolling onto her back, she looked down to see her legs encased in ice from the freeze-ray gun Fang had so conveniently installed in his arsenal. Even though she had no clue as to what they meant, the fifteen-year-old mumbled a few Cybertronian words she'd picked up from Optimus (much to his dismay) and reached for the dagger by her side. Raising it high and taking careful aim, she rammed it down into the ice. She was rewarded with a sharp crack. Another hit and the casing came crumbling off, and she was up and running again, getting the blood flowing through her legs once more.

As she tried to outrun her pursuers, Hunter attempted to put into context just how far she had run. Had it been three miles? Five? How long? Two hours? Four? Maybe it hadn't been hours but minutes that had felt like them. Whatever the distance and the time it felt like an eternity to her. She knew she couldn't run forever, and she knew she couldn't hide. Optimus was wounded and couldn't come to her aid. If the team got her message, it was apparent they weren't going to be able to get to her in time. Bottom line: she was on her own and completely at the mercy of the Hunters—whatever little mercy they had.

Suddenly Hunter's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of roaring water. Seconds later, she found the source. She skidded to a halt, just barely managing to keep from falling into the raging river in front of her. Panting, she stared with wide eyes at the current of foaming whitecaps before her. " No!" she screamed in rage and fear. " No! No! No! **NO!** You've gotta be kidding me!" Running her bloody hands through her messy red hair, Hunter paced the bank in dismay. It was over. It was all over! She couldn't get out of this! There was no way she could cross that, and with the 'Cons closing in on her she couldn't back track. She was trapped.

Suddenly one of the bushes beside her became encased in ice. Whipping around to face her attackers, Hunter just managed to dodge another ice blast from Fang. The ray hit the water, and immediately the surface froze. Hunter studied the ice for a minute, calculating; it was risky, but it was her only chance. Quickly, she scrambled out onto the slippery surface. The ice strained and cracked dangerously beneath her, but it managed to hold out. If it barely held her weight there was no way it would hold the weight of the 'Cons. They wouldn't follow her out here—not without risk of plunging themselves through the ice too. Turning to face her enemies, however, Hunter could only pray that she was right.

They were a good fifty yards apart from one another. Fang and Blackout stood at the edge of the bank, snarling down at her, and Hunter was crouched in a ready position halfway across the river, watching and waiting. If it was going to end, it would end here. Finally Fang lifted his head and sneered evilly. Lifting his hand to his mouth, he called out to the redhead over the roar of the water, " What's the matter, tidbit? Had enough?" He chuckled as he saw Hunter glancing around at the sound of crackling ice. " Why don't you come back to stable ground and end this all right now? I promise I'll make your death swift and painless. One quick cut and it can all be over."

Hunter stepped farther back and growled at them like a cornered wolf. " If you want me, come and get me," she snarled.

" Fine!" Blackout snapped. Without even thinking, she rushed out onto the ice. Fang made a snag for her, but she was too quick for him. It wasn't seconds later the ghost-flamed femme had covered half the distance between the girl and the bank without breaking the ice—but all of that would soon change. Blackout took one more stride and all of a sudden the entire ice cap groaned and shook. The femme immediately froze. Suddenly one large fissure started to reach from beneath her foot and slit the ice. Looking down at the crack then back to each other, Hunter and Blackout made a silent agreement: save their butts now, kill each other later. With that they started sprinting for the far bank, but the ice and the river were quicker than they were, and the hadn't even taken three strides each before the ice gave out from under them and they went plummeting into the frigid, roaring river beneath.

" Blackout!" Fang bellowed. His optics searched frantically among the whitecaps and ice blocks for the femme, but he didn't see her. Still looking into the swirling water, the dragon 'Con began to sprint the length of the bank, following the river downstream. Soon he came to a steep waterfall. He looked over the edge into the river below. " Blackout!" he screamed again, his voice drowned in the sound of the waterfall. He watched and waited. All of a sudden something came bobbing to the surface. In anticipation he stared after it: a black and ghost-flamed chassis crawling for the shore! For a second he was hopeful, but then his spark was shattered as he caught sight of the human girl dragging Blackout's chassis with Lacerator's stolen dagger wedged deeply into the femme's spark chamber. Rage roared up inside his chest; his eyes burnt into the human. That was it! As soon as he got his hands on her, that little monster was paying for what she had done. She was his now!

Coughing and sputtering for air, Hunter clawed her way up onto the bank, hauling the sparkless body of Blackout with her. She didn't know how she had managed to skewer the Decepticon through the spark, and she didn't care. All she wanted was for all this to be over. She wanted to go home. Most of all… she wanted Optimus. Oh, how she longed to curl up in the warm refuge of his arms, look up into those gentle blue optics and fall asleep to the steady hum of his spark-beat, safe and sound. But with Optimus injured and probably dead now, and with Fang, Bombardier, and the other hunter still out there, the teenager knew that scenario was hardly possible. It was amazing she'd lasted this long, and she still had no clue as to how she had managed that. She was hurt, weak, freezing, hungry… utterly terrified. She couldn't fight and run and hide forever. Something would have to give or come to an end, and in all ways of looking at the situation, that something would have to be her.

Finally she had reached the bank. Hunter threw Blackout down to the ground and slumped down beside her. Looking into the dark, lifeless optics of the femme, Hunter shivered from both cold and horror. _**She**_ had done that. Today alone she had killed three Decepticons… with her bare hands and nothing but a dagger. Dagger… Tiredly, Hunter raised her eyes to the weapon lodged in the center of Blackout's chestplate. Moaning, she managed to get to her feet and seize hold of the hilt. She pulled.

At first the thing wouldn't budge, so Hunter gathered her strength and pulled again. It still wouldn't move. Finally, after several more tugs, the dagger came flying out. Hunter stumbled back and slammed back-down onto the hard rocks of the bank. Grimacing, she reached for the dagger and brought it to her, wiping off the blade on the leg of her sweats... or at least what was left of her sweats.

All that remained of her gray lounge pants was barely clinging to her body. One leg had been completely ripped off, leaving only about an inch or two of fabric to cover her hip. The other leg was ripped up the side and flopping around like a dirty, tattered old rag. The same could be said for her tank top. The piece of clothing looked like it had been used for target practice as well as looking like a grenade had dropped on it. It was hang in complete shreds, one strap was torn off, and the other was just barely hanging by a thread. She was no longer wear her Uggs; she'd lost them somewhere in the river, along with her socks.

Hunter felt about as bad as she looked. Every inch of her body ached: even the very tips of her hair seemed to hurt. Just from judging that, the fifteen-year-old could guess what injuries she'd suffered, but she wanted a better look at herself just to be sure. So slowly, even though it was torturous, Hunter inched her clothes off until she was stripped down to her underwear, and then started to examine herself. With most of the mud and blood that had at one point caked her body washed away, the girl found that her arms and legs and stomach were red and raw with a series of cuts, all bleeding and ranging in size and depth from 'not-worth-a-bandage' to 'stitches'.

The pricks she'd received from her fight with the beast lined her arms and sides like bee stings. They were swollen tight and hot, already seeping a foul-smelling puss, making Hunter realize that the barbs must have been coated with some type of poison. Some of them hurt so badly she was sure that the barbs had broken off and remained inside her body. Her palms were sliced up badly and were so hot she swore she could see the heat waves rising off of them—the skin hung in shreds. Her knuckles were bloody and scuffed. Her stomach bared one large cut that ran from the top left of her belly to the lower right, but at least it wasn't as deep as it could have been. Her knees were banged up and in a bloody mess, and while one leg only had hundreds of slightly deep cuts and scrapes, the other possessed a deep laceration that ran down the entire length of the inside of her leg. Her feet were bloody, swollen, and turning blue in some places from the frostbite she'd received when her legs had been trapped in ice. Sharp stinging pain came from from her back, and felt blood oozing hotly down her skin. A steady trickle of blood came from the corner of her mouth; more was running off her forehead and blinding her in one eye. How she was alive, God only knew.

A tremor went through Hunter's body and suddenly there was a lump in her throat. A sob escaped her. Tears came to her eyes, and more sobs left her before she could stop them. The redhead didn't want to give into them, but she was too weak and emotionally drained to stop them, so she just lowered her head and let it all out. At first the cries were quiet, but then they started to become louder and stronger until they were wracking her entire body. Hot tears of exhaustion, terror, and pain streamed down her raw cheeks, leaving trails of stinging pain in their wake. Burying her face in her throbbing hands, Hunter pushed the sobs out until she was panting with exertion, then, taking a deep breath, she raised her head and screamed out his name at the very top of her aching exhausted lungs. " **OPTIMUS!**" She knew he couldn't hear her, but it didn't matter; it was the only thing she could think of to do. " **OPTIMUS, HELP ME!**" Being held against her will on the couch in front of the TV back at the base watching Spongebob looked pretty good right about now. More tears came to Hunter's eyes when she realized that she was never going to be able to do that again. She was never going to be able to see her friends again. She was never going to be able to argue, or play pranks, or have karaoke night with them ever again. It was all going to end… right… there.

Sobbing, Hunter flopped down onto her back and rolled onto her side, curling up into the fetal position, ready to give it all up. " Goodbye, Optimus," she whispered. " I'm so sorry." Suddenly the ground beneath her quaked. Hunter froze, horror seeping back into her system.

" Well, well, well," an evil, deep voice announced loudly, " here I am lookin' for a girl, and I stumble across a bug, waiting to be squashed."

* * *

_He was sprinting through the trees as fast as he could. Her screams filled the air and echoed around him with ear-splitting quality. He looked around, trying to find her, but she was no where to be found. Raising a hand to his mouth and cupping it around he bellowed out her name as loudly as he could. " Hunter!" He waited for an answer, but none came. " Hunter, where are you?!" A scream rang out again, but it seemed to come from all around him. Fear brimming up inside his chest, he kept running._

_Finally, after what seemed an eternity of deadly silence, another cry came. This time he could make out words. " OPTIMUS! OPTIMUS, HELP ME!"_

_" I'M COMING, HUNTER!" he called back. " I'M COMING!" He kept running, but it was as though his legs were trapped in tar, and he still couldn't see her! " WHERE ARE YOU?!"_

_" Goodbye, Optimus" her voice came again, but this time sounded weak; like she was giving up._

_"HUNTER!"_

_" I'm so sorry..."_

_" NO, HUNTER! NO!"_

_The ground suddenly rumbled and shook, and he could sense danger._

* * *

" Hunter…" Optimus mumbled dazedly. Slowly, his optics twittered open. Everything was out of focus. Trying to blink his vision back, the large Prime reached a heavy hand up to rub his throbbing head. What happened? He remembered telling Hunter to run then… nothing. Oh, Primus, his chassis felt heavy! Suddenly he remembered. Bombardier had tried to kill him with a tranquilizer—no wonder everything seemed fuzzy.

But fuzzy or not, he had somehow heard Hunter's voice. Not with his audio-receptors, but with his… spark? Yes, with his spark. Optimus couldn't explain it, but he could feel Hunter's pleas for help. He could feel her fear and pain as if it were his very own. She needed him—he needed to go to her. Groaning with effort, the red and blue Prime started to push himself up, but a heavy foot was placed on his backplate.

" Ah-ah-ah, big fella," Bombardier's voice reached his audio-receptors. " I'm afraid you can't leave."

Optimus glared up over his shoulder and the sneering bounty hunter.

" Watch me," he growled. And with that, he thrust himself upwards, causing Bombardier to fly off. He was nearly knocked off his feet again by a shot to the shoulder from Contagion, but he held his ground. Pointing himself in the direction Hunter had run, the mech transformed into his alt. mode and barreled off through the forest. " Hold on, Hunter. I'm coming."

* * *

Hunter watched as Fang came closer and closer. Every instinct in her body told to her get up and fight, to get up and run, but she couldn't move. She was too weak, and there was no point to it anyway. Fight or no fight, run or no run, Fang was going to terminate her either way—she didn't stand a chance. Besides, maybe he'd be doing her a favor by putting her out of her misery. " Make it quick," she pleaded with him.

The 'Con froze mid-stride. For a moment her stared at her in disbelief, then he threw back his head in an evil chortle. " So you've finally come to terms with your fate, huh?" he asked, grinning dementedly down at the girl.

Hunter remained quiet.

" What's this?" Fang gasped. " No clever retort? No fight to the death? I was so looking forward to that. After all, you do seem to be quite the little warrior," he pointed at the sparkless chassis of Blackout.

Hunter lowered her eyes away from his. " I…" she stammered, "… I just don't have anymore fight left in me." Then her eyes became hateful and cold as she lifted them to his again. " Now… are you gonna finish it… or what?"

" As you wish." The hunter came closer, reached down, wrapped his hand around her, then he lifted her to his face. He stared at her for a minute, then roughly brushed a lock of hair away from her face as he chuckled, " Any last words, tidbit?"

" Quite your yappin' and do it!" Hunter snarled, trying her hardest not to break down into tears again. " Ahh!" Fang's fist started to constrict around her, slowly crushing her in his grip. Her bones began to crackle. " Ah-rah-ha-ahh!"

Fang snickered as he continued to crush her. " Ashes to ashes—dust to dust."

" Release the girl, Decepticon," a familiar voice rang out as clear as day and as deadly as the thunder.

Fang's optics suddenly widened in disbelief. Slowly, he turned around to look straight down the barrel of the cannon of a very ticked off Prime. Silence fell over the three, with nothing but the roar of the waterfall. Fang finally gulped. " So," he laughed nervously, " you have a nice nap?"

" Do as I say!" Optimus barked.

Fang's eyes slipped down to the girl in his grasp, whom was now staring at the Prime with a look of something between shock and joy. He looked back at the red and blue Autobot. " I'm afraid I can't do that," he sneered.

Optimus placed his gun flat against the 'Con's throat. " Oh, I believe you can."

With the common sense part of his processor out of whack, Fang backed away and shook his head. " Nope, I really can't. See, Autobot, your little girlfriend here," he pointed to Hunter who was desperately trying to wriggle out of his grip, " is worth quite the substantial bounty. And with only three of us left, I'll get a bigger cut of the profit. Besides, this little brat killed our pet, my sparkmate's little sister, and my sparkmate!"

" And yet I do not feel the slightest bit of sympathy towards you," Optimus growled, still aiming for his opponent's spark chamber. " Release my companion, bounty hunter; I will not say it again."

Fang sighed heavily. " Fine." With that he chucked Hunter away.

Quick as lightning, Optimus retracted his cannon and caught Hunter before she could hit the ground. Carefully, he carried her a relatively safe distance away and, with all the tenderness in the world, laid her down on ground. " Hunter?" he questioned, examining her with worry in his optics. " Are you all right, little one?"

A grin so wide that was almost a grimace spread across Hunter's face and tears of joy pricked at her eyes. " I am now that you're here," she croaked. She brushed her throbbing palm along the ground until it came to rest atop one of his digits. " I wasn't sure you'd come for me."

Optimus gave her an affectionate smile. " I will always come for you, Hunter, and I will always find you." He pushed his hand farther underneath hers and flipped it over, gently encasing her small hand inside his own massive one. " I promise you that."

Hunter could only smile at her friend. Suddenly, movement beyond her Prime caught her attention, and her stomach knotted in fear. " Optimus, behind you!"

The Prime whipped around, and only just managed to catch Fang's all-to-familiar blade between his palms. Quickly, he threw it down, extracted his own, and stood, swinging at the bounty hunter.

Pushing herself up into a kneeling position, Hunter watched the fight for a moment, before rising to her feet and stumbling off farther away. With a grimace the fifteen-year-old propped herself against the trunk of a tree. She looked on as Optimus continued to pummel Fang right into the ground. " That's my boy," she rasped proudly. " That's my… ahhh!" Hunter suddenly found herself being lifted and shoved up against the tree. The next thing she knew, she was looking down into the face of the sick Decepticon who had… shrunk down to her size? " Put me down!" she screamed as he moved closer and closer still. " Wait, what are you…" she was cut off as the hunter held her lips between his in an all out lip-lock. She tried to shove the 'Con away, but he only held her closer.

Hunter suddenly felt extremely weak and lethargic. Her body tingled and itched as though there were thousands of bugs crawling under her skin. Breathing suddenly became harder. " _Why?_" the girl wondered. Without warning the 'Con forced his glossa in between her lips and massaged her tongue with it. The sick feeling grew stronger, and that's when Hunter realized. This was his power; he was infecting her. No longer possessing the strength to brace her arms against his chest, Hunter slumped against him, driving herself even further into his lethal death kiss.

Fang crashed to the ground, writhing in pain. He screamed as Optimus seized him by the chest armor and pulled him close to his face. " **AHHHH!**"

" You will not come anywhere near this child ever again," Optimus snarled, in a complete all-out rage now, " do you understand?"

Fang didn't answer.

Optimus shook him. " Do you understand?!"

All of a sudden, Fang's head fell back in a psychotic laugh. He looked up into Optimus' optics. " Sure, _**I'll**_ stay away from her," he hissed with a sneer, " but I'm not the one you should be worried about." His eyes looked off over the 'Bot's shoulder. " And my guess is she won't have more than a few hours when he's done with her… if that."

Optimus followed his gaze. His optics widened in horror at the scene before him. " No," he barely breathed. In one quick motion, he ripped Fang's spark chamber from his body, dropped the lifeless 'Con, and went running in her direction. " Hunter!"

Hearing the charging footsteps of the Prime, Contagion pulled away from Hunter's lips and gave her a twisted smile. " Thanks for the moment," he chuckled.

With the sickness coursing hotly through her veins and growing stronger at each moment, Hunter raised weary, feverish eyes to his. " Wh-who are you?" she rasped.

The 'Con leaned down until his face was inches away from her. Then he took a vent and whispered back, " Contagion." As he spoke his name, he exhaled another billow of poison gas right into her nostrils so she had absolutely no chance of escaping it.

Hunter turned away, coughing and gasping for air. Her lungs felt like they were melting! Slowly, she met Contagion's eyes again and released a shuddering sigh. Then her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed to the ground in a heap.

Laughing, Contagion turned to face Optimus. " You're turn now, huh?" He took a step forward and returned to his original size. Then he took a deep breath, preparing to release a cloud of deadly fumes in the Prime's direction, but Optimus was too quick for him. He decapitated the 'Con before he had even half a breath drawn.

Panting heavily, Optimus retracted his blade and battle mask. It was over. He turned towards Hunter's crumpled, unconscious body. His spark skipped a beat. " No!" he cried, rushing to her side. Crouching down, he took her into his arms.

She was alive… but just barely. Her eyes stayed closed, and her breathing was short and shallow. She was sickly pale, and the veins beneath her skin were turning from dark blue to brown to black with the virus. She shivered from shock and cold.

Carefully, Optimus held Hunter closer against his body. Covering her with a warm hand, he tried to shield her from the cool, damp, misty air. But Optimus knew that what he could provide her was not going to be nearly enough. She needed medical attention. She needed Ratchet. He had to get her back to the base… now!

* * *

Exiting from the ground-bridge, Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead all hit the ground with cannons primed. After standing back to back for a minute, they all turned to each other and nodded, then they moved off into the woods. When they came across the deposit, they took in the scene.

Kneeling down, Arcee swept her hand over the ground. " Well, there were at least five of them," she reported after counting the ring of footprints. Then she moved on to the scuff marks. " And it looks like Optimus put up a fight."

" Well, that's nothing new," Bulkhead grumbled with a shrug. " Now the question is where are they?"

Arcee looked up and opened her mouth to respond when she was cut off by the sound of a pained yell.

" **AHHHH!**"

The three Autobots stood frozen as the echo slowly died, then they sprung into action. Minutes later they came across the waterfall. Looking down over the cliff they saw Optimus crouched on his knees, arms wrapped over a badly leaking wound in his abdomen. Bumblebee released a musical buzz.

Slowly, the Prime lifted his optics to them. His faceplate was twisted in pain and worry... but it wasn't for himself.

That's when they noticed he was holding something. " What is he…" Arcee started out, trying to get a better look. She gasped once she recognized the half-naked teenager held protectively in their commander's arms.

" Primus, no…" Bulkhead whispered.


	8. Haven

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world…" Martina McBride: _Love's The Only House_

6

Ω Haven Ω

" _Beep,__beep, beep_," a heart monitor reached her ears and reverberated through her entire skull, making her head throb all the more. Moaning, the girl tediously lifted a hand to her head. Her fingertips grazed the rough texture of gauze. Slowly, her eyes began to drift open. The light above her was blinding, so she raised a hand to shield her eyes. That's when she saw the bandages around her palm and arm. " Huh?" She stretched her other arm up to reveal the same thing. The warmth of a blanket and the softness of a pillow became apparent to her, and that's when Hunter knew she was back at the base, safe and sound, where nothing would ever harm her; where everything was secure.

A soft chuckle reached her ears. Looking off to her right, Hunter found a newer but still familiar face. Not quite sure if she was seeing things correctly, she blinked and squinted at the tall man. " Epps?" her voice finally cracked.

" So I bring you my best horse," Epps pretended to go into a rage, " I ask you to work with him, and then the second I'm gone—boom!—you're off tryin' to get yourself killed!" He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head in a disgusted way. " Of course, what do you expect from a red-head?" When he looked back up at her, he was grinning a mile wide.

" Good to see you too," Hunter rasped, smirking back.

Suddenly she was aware of more bodies present. Slowly, she looked over to see her foster parents with Annabelle. She gave them a weak smile. " Hey."

Sarah and Annabelle looked like they were seconds away from bursting into tears. They rushed forward and just about had to restrain themselves from crushing her in a bear hug. Will approached in a far more reserved manner, but the relief on his face couldn't be hidden. In the time Hunter had come to live with them, she had become like another daughter. Looking over at his buddy, Will saluted him. " Thanks, Epps."

Epps simply shrugged and started to the staircase descending down from the catwalk. " You're my pal, Will. Least I can do." Then he took one last look at Hunter who was begrudgingly enduring a typhoon of hugs and kisses from Sarah and Annabelle and grinned mischievously at his friend. " Told you she'd wake up on my watch." And with that he was gone.

Will scoffed and shook his head, then he turned back to Hunter, who was still being crooned over by the other two females. Seeing how fed up about it she looked, he decided to save her. Chuckling, he walked over and sat down on the edge of her bed. " Welcome back to the land of the living, kiddo," he said soothingly. He reached out and brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. " You had us worried there."

Hunter groaned and started to massage her temples. " I had me worried too," she chuckled, but even that caused pain. A question processed in her mind. " How long was I out?"

" Two days!" Annabelle informed her with wide eyes. " You were asleep for two whole days, Hunter! And I helped Mommy brush your hair while you were asleep. Isn't it so soft and shiny now?" The six-year-old reached up and seized a handful of Hunter's silky fiery mane and held it out in front of the teenager's eyes. Unfortunately, the little girl had yet to realize her own strength and had given the roots of Hunter's hair a good yank when proudly trying to show off what she had done.

Hunter's eyes widened and slightly watered. She quietly yelped in pain. Reaching up, she gently took the lock away from Annabelle's dangerous fingers. " Yes, Annabelle, I see," she said, trying to smile at the child. " My hair is very pretty now, thank you." She gently smoothed the strand back in place, trying to ignore the new intensity of throbbing pain that had started from Annabelle's tug on her scalp.

The little girl simply beamed at her.

It was then that Hunter became acutely aware to the lack of someone's presence. Someone very important. Looking up at Will, she wet her lips before rasping out, " Where's…"

" He's fine, Hunter," Will assured her with a nod and a smile, already knowing who she was asking for. " Ratchet patched him up, and ever since then he's been with you."

" He's hardly left your side," Sarah chimed in, with a smile. She took Hunter's hand in her own and stroked it. " Finally, this morning, Ratchet had to force him to go get some rest, and even then he refused to leave until he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer." The blond woman smiled even wider. " He's quite fond of you, sweetheart."

All Hunter could do was smile. That warm feeling was rising in her chest and transmitting to the very tips of her being again. It was something special to possess the affection of a giant alien robot—something she knew that only a handful of people could ever enjoy. Yet it was still different for her than it was for Jack, Miko, and Raf. True, they had the affection of their 'Bots, but that was different than having the affection of a mech like Optimus. Optimus was strong. He was a warrior, with many years of training and battle experience under his belt. He was a Prime. But yet, whenever he was around her, he was a gentle as a kitten. Yes, he was careful and caring around the other kids and around Annabelle, but there was a big difference between being careful and being gentle. He didn't let the others see his emotions the way he let her see them. He didn't smile at them the way he did at her. He didn't laugh around them the way he did around her. He didn't hold them close and nuzzle them. And it was all _**only**_around her; meant _**exclusively**_ for her.

The feeling grew warmer as Hunter could practically feel his faceplate nuzzling against her, making her feel safe and warm; the way only Optimus could. She was quickly startled out of her sweet daydreams by the sound of an irritated and angered yell.

" All right were is it?!" the man's voice echoed heavily through the base. " Where's the human that _**no one**_ told me about?!"

He had to be talking about her. Question was: who was he? Raising her eyebrows, Hunter looked up to her foster family for an explanation. Whoever he was, she was pretty sure she wasn't going to like him.

Will met her eyes, shrugged, and shook his head. " You're far from out of trouble, sweetie," he informed her with a long-suffering sigh. " And if you thought the 'Cons were bad, you're gonna have a hay-day with Fowler."

Blinking, Hunter swallowed hard, not because she was afraid, but because her throat was dry and scratchy. If anything she was slightly irritated, because the entire time Fowler had kept up his loud gripings and demands to meet the "it" as he called her. Didn't the dude have the decency to call her a 'she'? Even a 'he' would've sufficed, because at least then she wouldn't have sounded so much like an animal or something of that nature. Hunter was still grumbling over the man inside her head when all of a sudden she came face to face with him.

Gray sports coat, tie, white dress shirt, and loafers. Early to mid-forties. African American. Black, thick, curly hair and brown eyes. About six feet tall with a pudgy gut. Hands on his hips and a not-at-all thrilled look on his face.

Hunter's eyes widened. Man, he did not look happy. Not one bit. What's worse, the fifteen-year-old knew all that irritation and anger was pointed directly at her, but she sat straighter up in bed and lifted her head high. " To scare off the enemy, make yourself appear bigger," she unconsciously thought.

Shooting daggers her way, the man stormed in her direction. " And just who are you?" he demanded once he had covered half the distance between them.

It took a minute for Hunter to register that he was speaking to her, but then she cleared her throat and lifted her chin slightly higher. " Hunter James," she answered clearly and boldly. Looking him up and down, Hunter came to the conclusion that they were not going to be "buddy-buddy". She also remembered the snake she had encountered in the log back in the forest. This guy didn't look like a snake, but she was still thinking, "weasel". " I believe it's your turn to introduce yourself."

The man reached into the inside of his sports coat and brought out a leather wallet. He opened it up revealing a picture, license, and badge. Shoving it in her face, he said in somewhat a well-rehearsed and overly proud voice, " Special Government Agent William Fowler." He put the I.D. fold back in an inner pocket of his coat and shoved an accusing and rigid finger in her chest. " And you, Ms. James, are in some big trouble."

" Come again?" Hunter questioned, not sure what he meant. She shoved his finger away.

" Do have any idea of the place in which you currently reside, young lady?"

" Autobot Outpost Omega One," Hunter replied.

" Are you aware as to just how secret this place and the 'Bots are?"

" Highly," Hunter answered. " National security's top most priority is to keep Team Prime under wraps. Optimus explained the entire situation."

" Ah-ha!" Fowler exclaimed, pointing a finger at her again. " I knew it! You're Prime's pet, aren't ya?"

" No," Hunter corrected him, " I'm Optimus' _**friend**_**—**I am no one's pet. Get it straight, _**Bill**_."

Fowler drew back for a second and crossed his arms over his chest. He gave somewhat of an amused chuckle. " Huh, you got quite the little mouth on you there, sweetheart."

" So I've been told recently."

Fowler stuck his face in hers. " Well, let's just warn you here and now then," he told her. " I don't take well to smart-alecs, and I'll make you wish you never got on my bad side. Do I make myself clear?"

Hunter leaned forward, bringing their faces closer. " Crystal," she snarled. " But then it's only fair to warn you. I'm not easily intimidated by authority figures like you. You don't scare me a bit. And you do not want to make an enemy out of me, I can assure you, because you push me and I push back… hard." That's when she realized Fowler was squinting his eyes at her, as if to get a better look of her. " What are you squinting at?" she demanded.

" What did you say your name was again?"

" Hunter James," the girl answered, starting to run short on patience.

" Hunter James…" Fowler mumbled the words as if he was trying to place them. His face twisted in a thoughtful way. After a minute he asked another question. " You a foster kid?"

Hunter rolled her eyes. " Well, duh!" she snapped, not caring if she sounded bratty or not at this point. " They're my foster family," she pointed to Will and his family who had stayed by her side.

Suddenly Fowler's face lit up in enlightenment. " Now I know why I recognized you!" he blurted out, making Hunter's ears and head ring. " The train assault case!"

All the color suddenly left Hunter's face, and her stomach clenched. Not. Good.

" Train assault case?" Sarah and Will questioned at the same time.

" Yeah, from a couple years back," Fowler answered, still glaring at the teenager. He then looked at the couple. " You mean you didn't hear about it?"

They both shook their heads.

" Well, you musta been livin' under a rock then." Fowler turned back to the redhead and pointed at her. " Her face was plastered all over every TV screen and her name was announced on just about every radio news station from here to Timbuktu."

" For what, may I ask, Agent Fowler?" a deep stern voice broke into the conversation.

Everyone, even Fowler, immediately froze, but Hunter looked up, an instantaneous wave of relief washing over her. Finally, someone who would be on her side in this! " Optimus!" she sighed happily.

Optimus' optics trained on her and he smiled back. " Hello, Hunter," he greeted her warmly. then his eyes turned cold again as they came back to Fowler. " For what purpose was Hunter so sought after, Agent Fowler?" he repeated.

Fowler then snapped out of his stupor. Pointing again at Hunter while looking up at the 'Bot, he answered, " Assault charges, attempted murder, plus a number of other offenses!"

Optimus turned to Hunter for her side of the story. " Hunter?"

Hunter rolled her eyes at Fowler and looked up at her guardian to rebuttal. " Okay: A) the creep was a convicted pedophile and rapist who the police were already after because he had broken out of jail a week before, so he had it coming. B) I did what everybody already wanted to do to the guy. And c) nobody actually got hurt."

" You tried to throw the man underneath an oncoming train!" Fowler protested.

" You would've done the same thing if you had been the one he tried to violate!" Hunter defended herself.

Fowler held up a finger and opened his mouth to retort, but no words came. He scratched his head. " Well… all right," he agreed somewhat sheepishly, " you've made your point there." Then anger crossed his face again. " But that still didn't give you the right to try and kill him!"

" Oh, right, I'm so sorry!" Hunter snapped sarcastically. " I wasn't thinking about what I was in the right of doing while he held me to the ground and tried to feel me up!"

" Enough," Optimus ordered. Then he fixed gentle, but stern eyes on Hunter yet again. " Hunter, is what Agent Fowler says true?"

Shame suddenly coming over her. Hunter lowered her eyes away from the Prime's. Silently she nodded.

" And the other accusations Fowler speaks of?" Optimus prodded gently.

" Oh, boy!" Fowler huffed. " Let's just get into that list!" He opened his mouth and was about ready to start counting off on his fingers when Optimus stopped him.

" If it is all the same to you, Agent Fowler," the large red and blue Autobot interjected, " I would prefer to hear it from Hunter." Once he was sure Fowler wasn't going to try and speak for her, Optimus turned his attention back to the fifteen-year-old. " Hunter?"

Hunter looked up at his optics, before lowering and closing her eyes again. This was it. This was where everyone would abandon her. This was where she would be taken back to the system. This was where she would lose everything she'd just found and cared for. That's how it always worked. It was her worst nightmare come true, and she didn't want that to happen. Still… she owed it to Optimus to tell him the truth. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak. " Remember how we told each other what we wanted to know about one another?" she asked him, looking up.

Optimus simply nodded.

Hunter looked away again. " Well, um…" she cleared her throat, "... I wasn't completely honest with you, big guy." She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

" Meaning?"

" Meaning I didn't lie to you... technically... per say... just... left out and... summarized the basic truth."

" I'm afraid I don't follow you, little one."

Hunter sighed heavily. Time for the truth to spill. " You asked about what my life was like before I came here," she recalled the moment, " and I told you that it wasn't very good. That I'd gotten into some trouble. Well… I didn't exactly explain to you what… kind... of trouble." She waited for a minute, letting silence seep in.

" And just what kind of trouble was it?" Optimus prodded further, crossing his arms over his chassis.

" I… uh…" Hunter stammered, still not quite sure she was ready to tell the whole truth.

" Yes?"

Hunter swallowed hard, then she looked up at him, slight tears starting to sting her eyes. " Look, first off, I just want you to know that I got mixed up with the wrong crowd of kids. That's how all this happened, all right?"

Optimus remained silent, patiently waiting.

Hunter looked away yet again. " I never did drugs or smoked or drank, but some of the other kids in my groups did, so I got MIPed more than once," she confessed. " I defaced property, pick-pocketed, shop-lifted, hot-wired cars so me and my friends..."

" 'My friends and I'," Fowler jeeringly corrected her.

Hunter shot him a 'shut-up-or-I'll-rip-your-head-off' glare and continued, "... could take joy rides, ran from the police, and then, of course, the assault and attempted murder charges, which, by the way, I was let go for because it was in self defense," Hunter added, pointing it at Fowler.

" And she's got her own juvie record to prove it," Fowler put in. He walked towards the Prime while pointing at the girl. " All in all, Prime, your new little pet here is a hardened criminal."

" But she has paid her debt to society?" Optimus questioned, his teeth set on edge by Fowler calling his companion a criminal.

" Well, yeah…" Fowler reluctantly agreed, "… but that's not the point! The point of the matter is, is that she's a menace to society. Once you think you can trust her—boom!—she takes you out with one quick swing." He turned back to face Hunter with his arms crossed. " Once a criminal, always a criminal, I say."

" I am _**not**_a criminal!" Hunter shrieked, tears more profound in her eyes now.

" Coming from the girl with a _**criminal**_record!"

Hunter squeezed her eyes shut and looked away. The tears started running in broken streams down her cheeks. She didn't need this!

" Oh, yeah, that's right, sweetheart," Fowler taunted, sticking his face in hers. " Go and cry about it."

" Take it and shove it!" Hunter managed to shout back.

" One way or another you're still a worthless brat!"

The fifteen-year-old raised a hand and smacked the Agent as sharply and as hard as she could across the face. Unfortunately, it made her already injured hand throb with even more pain. Her tears came harder. It didn't help matters when Fowler seized her wrist and shook her, all the while still yelling at her.

" Try that again, red!" he snarled, violently shaking her. " Go ahead! I dare ya!"

" Let go of me!"

" Go on, hit me again if you think you're so tough!"

" Fowler, that is enough!" Optimus bellowed so loudly that the entire base seemed to quake. A heavy still fell over everyone with the only sounds being Hunter's quiet sobs.. It was so quiet you could here a pin drop. After a long moment, the Prime turned a cold optic on the government agent, more than a little revved off that said agent had hurt Hunter. " Special Agent Fowler," he announced in a very measured voice, " I am going to have to ask you to exit the premises."

Fowler spun around in disbelief. " What?!" he barked. " You can't honestly be taking _**her**_side! She's a felon, Prime!"

" She is a _**child**_, Agent Fowler!" Optimus roared back. " Hunter is my companion, and I do not take kindly to those who would hurt her, as you have obviously done!" Then he took a deep vent and gained control of himself again. " Again I ask you leave the base."

" Prime, are you hearing me?! She's worthless!"

" Now!"

The agent's face went beat red. The veins in his neck and forehead popped out and he looked like he was about ready to blow a gasket. Fowler opened his mouth yet again as if to say something more, but then seemed to decide against it, figuring it would cause him more harm than good. Turning on his heel, he stormed over to the elevator and stepped inside. The last thing anyone saw of him was his fuming expression before the doors closed.

Another silence fell over the room. Grumbling in Cybertronian, Optimus turned back to look at the four humans. His eyes fell on Hunter who was huddled down under the covers, tears rolling down her face and onto her pillow. Her foster family was trying their best to comfort her, but she wasn't having any of it; she was too upset to listen. Closing his optics the Prime sighed heavily—this was not going to be an easy one. He opened his eyes again. " Major Lennox," he said.

Will looked up.

" Would you and your family mind leaving us alone?"

Silently, Will nodded. He turned to his wife. " Sarah, grab Annabelle and let's go home, okay?"

The woman nodded, and picked Annabelle up off the bed. " Come on, sweetie. Let's go home and play a game, huh?"

The little girl turned her blue eyes up to her mother and pouted, pushing her lip out. " But I wanna play a game with Hunter." she protested.

" Not now, Annabelle," her mother sighed, shaking her head.

" Why?" the six-year-old demanded.

" Well... Hunter and Optimus want some alone time right now. Maybe you and Hunter can play another day, okay?"

Annabelle carefully considered this. Finally she made a reluctant nod and the three proceeded down the stairs of the catwalk, got into their parked car, and drove out of the base, leaving the two all alone.

For several moments, the human and Autobot sat there in silence, neither one quite sure what to say to the other. Finally, with a sigh, Optimus sat down beside the catwalk, and turned to look at his fifteen-year-old companion. " Hunter?" he questioned softly.

The girl didn't look at him. She just continued to keep her back turned to him and cry quietly.

" Hunter?"

" I didn't want you to find out like that," Hunter whispered.

Optimus face softened even more in sympathy. It absolutely broke his spark to see her this way: he hated to see her cry or hurt. She'd already been hurt enough as it was, but yet, he still wanted to know why she hadn't told him the truth. " Hunter," he repeated, " I am not going to judge you. You have had enough of that to satisfy a lifetime. What I want to know is why you weren't completely honest with me. After everything we have endured together, the friendship we have forged, why did you not tell me about these… misdeeds?"

" Because I didn't want you to know," Hunter sobbed, back still to him. " I didn't want _**anyone**_ to know."

" Why?"

" Why do you think it was so hard to find families to foster me?" Hunter asked, finally rolling over to face him. " Why do you think no one's ever wanted to adopt me? Why do you think I can't stay in one foster home for more than a month? It's because those people found out what I did! They found out every bad thing I've ever done and judged me for it and don't wanna deal with it. They all want kids who are perfect little angels, without any baggage to worry about so that they can be proud of them and get to say "That's _**my**_ kid," without being embarrassed or ashamed. They all think I'm worthless... just like Fowler!" She took a deep shuddering breath for screaming out, " And maybe they're all right! Maybe I really am just a screw up like everyone one says!" With that, Hunter broke off to bury her face in her pillow as she let raging sob after raging sob escape from within her. In a few quick moments with a few choice words, Fowler had cut her deeper and hurt her worse than anything the Decepticons had ever done to her. Than anything _**anyone**_ had ever done to her.

" Hunter, no. Don't say that, little one. You're not worthless…" Optimus sighed. Not quite sure how to comfort her, the Autobot commander did the only thing he could think of: he gently began to stroke her back and whisper soothingly to her in Cybertronian. Even though he knew that she didn't know what he was saying, she had always seemed to enjoy hearing him speak it. Besides, even if she couldn't understand with her ears, she could understand with her heart. He waited until her cries had quieted, then he proceeded to ask, " Why didn't you want anyone to know, Hunter?"

" Because I was afraid," the girl hiccuped.

" Afraid of what, sweet-spark?" Optimus questioned, unaware that he had just called her by an endearing Cybertronian term.

Hunter must not have noticed it either, or if she had she hadn't thought about it, because whatever the reason, she continued to sob and explain why. " Afraid that I was going to lose everything I care about. You, Will and his family, my friends, the team, Ratchet… everything." She looked up into his gentle sympathetic optics. " I've been alone for so long, Optimus—my entire life. And for that time... I've wanted something real. Something stable. Something to believe in and rest my head on when I couldn't go on; a home. Crazy as it is, I've found that here in Jasper... with all of you. And for the first time in my life... I'm actually happy. This is my home. I just found it. I just found _**you**_. I don't wanna lose you already."

That's when Optimus chuckled. He closed his optics and shook his head. " Oh, my Hunter..."

Hunter stared up at him with bewildered eyes. She'd just poured her heart out in front of him... and he was laughing at her! " Wh-what?" she meekly demanded.

Optimus gazed down at her e\affectionately, still shaking his head. " How could you ever think you could lose me, little one?" he chuckled.

A little bit shaken, Hunter couldn't find the words to answer. " Well.. uh... uh..er... I mean..." she stumbled around, her mind feeling to surprised and numb to answer him.

" My dear Hunter, you could never lose me," Optimus declared from the very bottom of his spark. " You have become as much a part of this team, as much a part of _**me**_, as any other 'Bot or human I have ever known. Contrary to what you believe, you, my little one, are not a "screw up" as you put it. You are much, much more." He lowered his head until he was at her eye level, then he looked deeply into her eyes, once again making Hunter feel as if he could see into her very soul. I have seen the pure of heart within you, and I have seen the determination to make others see that inside of you as well. You may not know it, child, but you are the most powerful person I have ever met. It seems as though that each day in your quest to prove the goodness inside you, you also strive to make the world a better place with it. Yes, you have made mistakes, but you are a youngling, and as such, you learn from them, thus making yourself and the world around you better."

Hunter was completely speechless. She latched onto every word the Prime said and clung to it as if her very life depended on it. Optimus believed in her. He actually believed in her! Even after he'd heard of all she had done. Even after she had hidden half the truth from him, he still had faith in her. That had never happened before.

" Look at what you have accomplished here, Hunter," Optimus went on. " In the mere two weeks since you have joined us, you have changed this place. You have changed us. You have changed _**me**_, Hunter." He smiled as he saw the mesmerized look in her eyes. " Whether you realize it or not, whenever you walk into a room you brighten it. There is a glow of such liveliness, exuberance, and joy about you that those around you can't help but take from it. You cause everything around you to become better. You are... very important to me, little one." The closest Optimus had ever come to saying he loved her.

Hunter was absolutely wide-eyed and breath-taken. " Optimus…"

" How are you feeling, Hunter?" Optimus interrupted, quickly changing the subject and breaking the moment. Even so, that smile never left his lipplates, and that look never faded from his optics.

Hunter sighed and halfway chuckled. " Sore," she answered, drying her eyes, " weak, and totally relieved Fowler's gone… even though I get the sense that that won't be the last I see of him."

Optimus chuckled. " Considering the fact that he is our designated liaison with your government," he nodded, " I have the feeling that there are many more, what you humans call, "throw-downs" to occur between you two."

The teenager grimaced. " Yeah," she sighed, " I was afraid of that." She smiled up at the Prime again. " In all honesty thought, big guy, I'm tired." As if to prove her point, the fifteen-year-old yawned.

" I can see that," Optimus chuckled once more. " Well, if that is the case then, I believe the best remedy for weariness is sleep." He reached down and helped to make sure Hunter was comfortable. Once he was sure she was settled, he began to dismiss himself.

That was when an inexplicable feeling of worry came over the fifteen-year-old. The last thing she remembered seeing before she blacked out was the hideous, sickly face of Contagion. She didn't remember Optimus picking her up and carrying her back to base or anything in between. What if she went to sleep and this was just a dream? What if she woke up in some Decepticon lab where they were running experiments on her? What if she didn't wake up at all? Fear twisting around in her gut, Hunter looked off in the direction Optimus was leaving. " Optimus!" she called after him.

The large Autobot turned around to see her fearful face looking after him. He came back. Cocking an optic-ridge in confusion, he lowered his face to hers. " What is it, Hunter?" he questioned, once more feeling for her.

" Could you stay until I wake up?" she asked him anxiously.

Suddenly understanding why she looked so worried, Optimus gently smiled. He knew how frightening it was to close your eyes again after such a trauma like the one Hunter had been through, no matter how tired you were; especially when the last thing you saw was not the least bit pleasant. The Prime understood how terrible the nightmares could be—of course he would stay with her. He nodded.

" You mean it?"

" Of course, Hunter. I promise that I will not leave your side until you wake."

Hunter nodded, feeling slightly better but still not sure she wanted to close to eyes and let herself to succumb to whatever visions and tricks her mind could play on her. " Okay." Then she lay down. As she snuggled down beneath the covers, looked up into Optimus' face, and felt his fingers gently caressing her head, Hunter felt even better. She smiled and closed her eyes. Several quiet warm minutes passed before drowsiness started to take her over, but just before she was about ready to drift off, the girl opened her eyes again. Tiredly, she looked to her guardian.

Feeling her eyes on him, Optimus looked down and smiled. " Yes, Hunter?"

" Can you sing to me?" she asked, not caring if she sounded like a little girl.

" Sing?" Optimus questioned, slightly baffled. He blinked for a minute, trying to decide what she meant. " I'm not sure what you mean."

" You know, like a lullaby," Hunter said. " And not something over the radio—I want _**you**_ to sing to me."

Optimus was still confused. Him? Sing? A lullaby? Primus, Hunter had a way of taking him out of his comfort zone. It's not that he couldn't sing—centuries ago on Cybertron, he had serenaded the femme he once loved with song. But that was centuries ago... before he became a Prime. Still, Hunter was asking, and he just didn't have the spark to deny her, and now that he thought about it, there was a lullaby he knew that had been used specifically by Primes. In fact that was the title: 'A Prime's Lullaby'; and the tune for it was simple enough. Still unsure about the entire thing, Optimus cleared his throat. " Um… all right." He was quiet for a minute, bringing up the words from the far corners of his memory, then he began to softly sing, and his deep, soothing, baritone voice was absolutely beautiful.

" _**Hush, my little one, no need to weep,**_

_**I am right here, guarding your sleep.**_

_**Close your eyes, sweet-spark, in my arms I will rock…**_

_**You, beautiful sweet-spark, you I will rock.**_

" _No need to cry, little one of mine._

_**No need to fear.**_

_**My love will be with you.**_

_**My love will be near.**_

_**I'll be near.**_

" _Sleep now, my dear one, all will be well_

_**I will protect you, and protect you I shall.**_

_**Slip away, small one, slip off to dream.**_

_**Tomorrow is closer at hand than it seems...**_

_**Than it seems.**_

" _No need to cry, little one of mine_

_**No need to fear.**_

_**My love will be with you.**_

_**My love will be near.**_

_**I'll be near.**_

" _**Dream peaceful things; dream only of good**_

_**And I will keep out the nightmares, as my love only could.**_

_**Dream of the sun, and of peaceful rains falling**_

_**Rise to the sun's calling.**_

" _No need to cry…_

_**No need to fear…**_

_**My love will be near…**_

_**I'll… be… near.**_

" _I'll always love you, my little one_

_**And will do so, till my passing's come.**_

_**I love you more than Cybertron.**_

_**Drift off, my child, drift off and dream.**_

_**Worry not of tomorrow or the dark.**_

_**I will guide you and not leave 'til morning light.**"_

As she listened to the unearthly but beautiful tune that was made with the rise and fall of his voice, Hunter slowly let her eyelids drift shut. The lyrics to the soothing lullaby painted a vivid picture in her mind. Who knew Optimus could be such an amazing singer? Releasing a deep sigh, Hunter's muscles began to unwind and relax, and she sank down into the warmth of her bed. Optimus song wrapped around her and swept her off into a restful sleep. Hunter had never felt more at peace with the world than she did at that very moment. She had no need to be afraid as she lay asleep beside her guardian… her safe haven.


	9. Sick

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Sick of it all, sick of it all! We will not follow. Sick of it all, sick of it all! They don't understand how sick we are, sick we are of this bottomless pit of lies… behind closed eyes…" Evanescence; _Sick_

7

Ω Sick Ω

Hunter's head throbbed. So much so she wasn't even able to concentrate on the English test in front of her. Massaging her temples to try and subside it, she tried once again to focus on the questions in front of her, but the headache not only seemed to hurt… it seemed to be affecting her vision and reading abilities too. Half the time she couldn't even read the question because it was so blurry. The other half of the time it was like reading Spanish: she could read the words, but they didn't get through to her brain; they made absolutely no sense! Then things started to get really weird when the words on the paper started to run together and morph into the Cybertronian symbols that formed the words to the Fuser's prophecy. More peculiar still—unlike the normal English that she had been speaking since she was like a year old—she could understand and read it.

" _**And when Unicron the Chaos Bringer has been cast out of Cybertron, Primus will give the Thirteen power to create a new race before he becomes the heart of planet. The Thirteen will use this power to create the Hybrid, a powerful, intelligent race of half alien and half Cybertronian blood…**_"

Hunter squeezed her eyes shut, shook her head, and rubbed them. When she opened them again she blinked a few times before looking down at the page. It only got worse. Now the hieroglyphics seemed to be floating right off the page and soaring around her, and what was worse, she could hear a voice reciting the prophecy inside her head. Not her own but rather a deep male voice that didn't belong to Optimus or any of the other male. Moaning, Hunter screwed her eyes shut again. She couldn't see the letters anymore… but the voice became even more prominent.

" _**And because of their power, the Hybrid will serve under the Primes and will be given the task of protecting the universe against evil. But a day will come when the Hybrid will grow tired of following the orders of the Primes. As a result, they will allow evil to enter the universe. For their treachery they will be cast out…**_"

" Stop it," Hunter whispered. Instinctively, she pressed her hands to her ears, trying to block it out. It didn't work.

" _**And as surely as they are sent to the stars, evil will befall Cybertron, and war will consume it. Darkness will fall over the planet, and all Cybertronians will be forsaken…**_"

" Stop it," Hunter repeated again. She laid her head down on the desktop.

" _**But in the time of despair, a flame of hope will rise. One young female of the Hybrid will be chosen by Primus himself to be the last hope for Cybertron. She will be known as the "Fuser" and she will be a warrior such as none have ever seen…**_"

" Get out of my head!" Hunter bellowed. The voice quieted. Hunter sighed in relief and opened her eyes; that's when she saw that every head in the room was turned in her direction and all eyes were on her. Looking around, Hunter took in all of the looks from her classmates. They rated from curiosity to annoyance to just plain 'girl-you're-insane'. Hunter tried to smile and laugh. " Ha, ha. Sorry," she said. " It's just uh… it's just I got this song stuck in my head and uh… yeah…" she cleared her throat. " Continue." Her face burning as bright red as her hair, she studiously hunched back down into her seat and tried to act like she was focusing on her test. It seemed like forever before everyone took their eyes off her.

Several minutes passed and Hunter was on the last question of her test when suddenly a new feeling hit her. First it started out as a slight gurgle that the fifteen-year-old attributed to the disgusting pork patty and potatoes she'd had for lunch. Then it turned into a plague of belches. It wasn't long before the feeling started to grow stronger and stronger and stronger still. Finally Hunter put down her pencil, marched calmly and stoically up to the front of the room, leaned over the trashcan… and noisily heaved up the pork patty and potatoes into the bin.

Groans and moans of disgust along with a few fits of hysterical laughter erupted from the room, but Hunter didn't pay attention. She was too busy with the process of puking her guts up. When she had heaved up the entire school lunch, she reached up for a Kleenex and wiped her mouth out with it. Man! That stuff tasted worse coming back up than it had going down! Suddenly, the voice of her English teacher Mrs. Willamina reached her ears.

Pressing a handkerchief to her nose and mouth, Mrs. Willamina turned to address Miko. " Miko…" the elderly woman sounded like she was about ready to throw up too, "… would you mind… escorting Hunter… to the lavatory?"

" You betcha!" Miko whooped, just happy to get away from the classroom. Leaping to her feet, she practically sprinted up to the front of the room and swooped in to grab Hunter's arm. She pulled her friend away from the rank stench of the predigest contents of the trashcan and they were out the door in the blink of an eye. Once they were out in the hallway, Miko released an overjoyed laugh. " English test made you sick, huh? They do that to me too!"

Normally, Hunter would have laughed and joined in Miko's joking, but considering just how bad she felt she wasn't exactly in the joking mood. " It wasn't the test, Miko," she croaked. " I'm not joking around here. I didn't make myself throw up to get out of there. I really, truly, sincerely feel like scrap. I don't know why but… ah!" The pain in her abdomen took a steep turn and it now felt like someone was driving a hot, rigid, serrated knife into her belly. It was so intense and so unaccounted for that Hunter literally threw herself against the lockers with the shock. Gasping, crying, and screaming all at once she grabbed at the lower right quadrant of her stomach. She sank to the linoleum tiled floor, arms wrapped around herself.

Genuinely scared, Miko knelt beside her. Carefully, with shaking hands, almost afraid she might even cause her more pain, the Japanese girl reached out and touched Hunter's shoulder. She flinched away when the redhead moaned again. " H-H-Hunter…" she stammered, "… a-a-are y-y-you okay?"

Biting her lip and curling up into a tight ball, Hunter just managed to shake her head. " Uh-uh!" she gasped. " Uh-uh!" She looked up at Miko with deep blue eyes full of tears, terror, and excruciating agony. " It hurts, Miko!" she sobbed. " Oh, frag, it hurts really, really bad!" She screamed again and curled up even tighter. Her body trembled.

" Is there anything I can do?"

" Call Optimus! Please, call Optimus! I want Optimus!"

Miko quickly pulled out her phone and dialed the base's emergency frequency.

* * *

" All right, Optimus," Ratchet sighed, " try it now."

Optimus, sitting in front of the medic in his big rig form quickly flipped the switch. Sure enough, just as Ratchet intended, the solid form of a male human began to take shape in his driver's seat. Optimus looked himself over. He was very much human… and just as massive. He must have been about seven to seven-and-a-half feet tall, with a broad barrel-chest, and large highly toned muscles that made him appear even bigger. His hands were large, rough, and callused and the face that looked back out at him when he peered into the mirror of his earth truck form was somewhere in the mid-thirties, tanned, and worn, with the battle scar over his eye. He had a black mustache and slight stubble around his jaw and chin, thick black hair, and bright elecrtro-blue eyes. Looking down, he saw that his clothes matched his armor: a red leather jacket with a black muscle shirt underneath and boot cut denim jeans over black cowboy boots. Flexing his hands, he found he could feel them; the same for his face and hair when he touched them. " Excellent work, Ratchet," he chuckled. The holoform disappeared and seconds later he was standing erect and upright in his original form. Grinning happily, he clapped a hand on Ratchet's shoulderplate. " I must honestly say that this may be the finest idea you have ever had, old friend."

Ratchet scoffed and he pulled away before turning and walking back to his tool bench. " It's nothing special," he tried to brush it off. " Just a notion that came to me while watching you and Hunter. Seeing how close you two have become, I merely thought that a holoform would make it easier for you to spend time with her. After all, she does seem to need you a great deal, Optimus."

Optimus shook his head. " Regardless, this is something you must equip each member of the team with." Suddenly the cheerful feeling Optimus had disappeared. A feeling of torturous agony came over his spark. Groaning, he put a hand over his spark chamber and leaned against the wall.

* * *

" No signal?!" Miko shrieked. She looked down at her pink cell phone and shook it for all it was worth. " You have got to be kidding me!" She suddenly looked down the hall to the doors, then she knelt back down beside Hunter. " Stay here," she said and she took off for the exit.

" Duh!" Hunter called after her. Where was she going to go? She couldn't move! Heck, she could barely even breathe! The pain stabbed sharply and the redhead gasped and writhed. " Optimus..." she whimpered pitifully.

* * *

" Whoa! Cool it down, boss 'Bot!" Bulkhead shouted as he held onto Optimus arm and tried to pull back.

" No, Bulkhead!" Optimus yelled. " Hunter needs me! Release me, all of you—that's an order!"

It was quite the scene in the Autobot base. As the large red and blue Prime was trying to storm his way out of the base, all of his soldiers, Ratchet included, were latched onto him, trying to weigh and tackle him down. But Optimus wasn't a weak mech by any means, so despite their best efforts, they were failing… miserably.

" Release me!" Optimus bellowed again. Optics wide, dazed, and staring off into the distance as if he could see through the walls of the base, Optimus continued to struggle his way forward. Pain seared through every circuit in his body; he could feel Hunter's affliction in his spark. Once again, he wasn't quite sure how, but it didn't matter. All he knew is that Hunter was in anguish and she needed him desperately. " Hunter!" he screamed. " **HUNTER!**"

The team tried their hardest to keep him weighed down, but there were losing their grip on him. If the very likely scenario of Optimus getting free came to pass, it was likely—with the way he was acting so completely out of character—said mech would barrel straight out of the base and sprint all the way to Hunter's side... in his Autobot form. Needless to say, that would _**not**_ be good for the team. So, putting all their strength into it, they held him tighter.

Several more minutes of this struggling went on. The team was seconds away from losing him when all of a sudden Miko's voice broke in over the emergency frequency.

" _**Guys, I have a major dilemma here!**_" her voice was shaky and demanding.

Just as quickly as he had gone into a rampage, Optimus snapped out of it. He became focused on Miko's voice. " Miko, what seems to be the trouble?" he questioned urgently, knowing that it had to have something to do with the agonizing feeling coming from Hunter.

" _**Hunter's sick!**_" Miko reported. " _**And I mean like, REALLY sick! She threw up in class and now she's on the floor in the hallway screaming and crying! Her arms are wrapped around her like she's gonna explode or something! I don't know what to do!**_"

Optimus, once more out of character, started pacing the floor and running his hands over his headset in an unsure and anxious way. He was mumbling quietly in Cybertronian. The longer he stayed here, the more intense Hunter's pain became.

" Miko, just stay calm and hold tight," Bulkhead told his human companion. " Stay with Hunt until one of us…" the sound of a revving engine and squealing tires cut him off. Everyone turned to look and see a cloud of dust: all that was left of Optimus Prime. "… gets there."

The doors of the base barely had enough time to open before Optimus went racing through. By the time they closed, he was already well out of sight down the road. Ordinarily, Optimus was always careful to follow the rules of the road, but this time he paid no heed to them—he wouldn't even have stopped for a policeman. All he could think about was getting to Hunter and taking her pain away. The pain within his systems was so sharp now it almost seemed to be his own. He could see Hunter, lying on the ground, as helpless and weak and afraid as she had been the day he came to her rescue when The Hunters had chased her down. A feeling of fear, anger, and determination rose up inside of him. He snarled. Never again. Never again would he let that happen. Never again would he let her become subjected to that. If anyone wanted to take her, they'd have to go through him first. They'd be insane to try.

As he barreled down the deserted, quiet, twisting road, Optimus switched on his holoform so he'd be prepared to jump out and take her into his arms. Hands on the wheel and eyes fixed on the road, he set a determined expression on his face. " Hold on, sweet-spark," he whispered out to her. " Just hold on…"

* * *

The minute he pulled into the school parking lot, Optimus flung the door wide open and his holoform leaped out. He started sprinting, not able to get to Hunter fast enough. Bounding up the concrete stairs, he threw the front doors to the school open and rushed inside, then he skidded to a stop and looked around. This was the first time he had ever been in the children's school and he had no idea where to go let alone where Hunter was.

" Hey, boss 'Bot!" a voice drew his attention.

He looked off down the hall to see Miko standing in the door of the girls' restroom, beckoning him.

" In here. Hurry!" She spun around and disappeared inside.

Optimus hurried down the hall, practically slamming into the door to get inside, even though he didn't need to.

Miko meet his eyes and wordlessly pointed to the open handicap stall. Fear was evident in her eyes.

The Prime marched to the door of the stall and found Hunter there, slouching against the wall next to the toilet, arms still wrapped firmly around her midsection. She was pale, moaning, sweating, and obviously in a great deal of agony. Jack and Raf were in there as well—Jack putting wads of wet paper towels on her forehead to try and cool her down and Raf running back and forth between the stall and the sinks to get more wet paper towels. Optimus' line of sight, however, remained solely on the groaning redhead. Pushing into the stall, he knelt down beside her—Jack and Raf moving out of the way for him—and put his arms around her. " Oh, Hunter," he sighed sympathetically. " I am so sorry, little one."

Eyes glassy and red with tears, Hunter gazed up into his face. For a minute she didn't responded, but then she buried her face in his broad holoform chest, knotted his shirt in her fist with such a grip her knuckles showed white, and cried. " Optimus, my tummy hurts!" she wailed, not caring if she sounded like a little girl or not. All she could register was the pain, and she desperately wanted for Optimus—for anyone!—to take it away. " It hurts so bad!"

Almost in tears himself, Optimus held her closer and tighter. He rested his head atop hers and rocked her. " I know, Hunter," he replied soothingly. " I know. Where does it hurt, sweet-spark?"

With a trembling hand, Hunter released Optimus shirt, grabbed one of his hands, and guided him to where the source of her pain was. She pressed his hand hard down onto it, sucking in a sharp breath through her teeth. " Here," she gasped, clenching her jaw. " It feels a little better when there's pressure on it."

Getting the message, Optimus put as much pressure on her abdomen as he could. He did indeed feel a slight dive in the intensity of her pain, but even then it was still very severe.

" I think it's her appendix," Jack suddenly spoke up, eyes still on Hunter even as he was talking to the Prime. " I had the same symptoms when I was twelve and had to get them removed."

Optimus nodded. Not long after he had become Hunter's guardian, he had spent some of his free time reading about certain human illnesses so that if she ever became sick he'd have at least some notion as to what was happening. Appendicitis had been one of those illnesses. At the time he was reading about it, the Prime had thought it strange that there were certain parts of the human anatomy that the body didn't really need that just ended up being more trouble than they were worth. Now he was cussing out human biology because of what it was doing to his companion.

" If it is," the boy continued, " she'll just need a simple operation to get them out. But... if they've burst..."

" Shh! You lunkhead!" Miko snapped, swiping the sixteen-year-old upside the head. " Don't go saying that stuff around Hunter! She's freaked out enough as it is!"

" I'm just laying out the possibilities, Miko!" Jack declared, rubbing his head.

" Well, stop laying them out!" Raf shouted. " She doesn't need to hear them!"

Not even listening to the conversation, Optimus and Hunter held each others eyes: one pair was filled with utter pain and terror, the other with worry and sympathy. Hunter's pain spiked again and she released a pained shout. Grimacing and panting, the fifteen-year-old screwed her eyes shut and tried to tough it out, but she just couldn't take it any longer! Meeting her Prime's eyes again, she just barely managed to force out, " Optimus... help me... please!" New tears streamed down her already tear-stained cheeks.

That last plea did it. Optimus could not stand one more minute of her pain—he had to do something! Wrapping his arms more securely around her and cradling her to his chest, the Prime stood and walked out of the bathroom as quickly as he could. He pushed out the door—running into a group of girls who were headed to the restroom as he did—and marched through the staring mass of the student body down the hall, headed for his vehicular form.

Jack, Miko, and Raf were right on his tail. They followed him out the doors and stopped beside his truck form, watching as he opened the door and stepped up inside, trying to situate Hunter as comfortably as possible. " Is there anything you want us to do, Optimus?" Raf asked, watching with concern as Hunter curled in towards her guardian's holoform torso with a pitiful moan.

" Call the base once more," he ordered, still trying to get situated in the seat. " Inform them that I am taking Hunter to the hospital and to meet me there. Also inform the Lennoxes: they will need to know what has happened." It was then that Optimus said something they had never heard him say before and had never imagined to hear him say. " And pray, children. Just pray." With that, he pulled out of the parking lot and took off toward the hospital.

Maneuvering through the, thankfully, empty streets of Jasper, the large Prime watched the redheaded child through holoform eyes. Still wrapped in his arms, Hunter looked so frail it almost seemed as though she would shatter into a million pieces at his gentlest touch. Her fiery locks were dull and clinging to her face with sweat. Dark patches of perspiration formed on both her black T-shirt and jeans. She was burning up, and her eyes were so completely lifeless that they actually frightened Optimus. Her pain was still sharp and incessant, no matter how much pressure he applied to her abdomen. Needless to say this was not the Hunter he knew.

He tried to calm her sobs and whimpers in a number of different ways. He whispered in Cybertronian to her; he rocked her; he stroked her head; he even rubbed her tummy in a way he had seen both Will and Sarah do with Annabelle when she'd had the stomach flu, but nothing worked! She just kept lying there in his arms, crying, moaning, trembling, and staring at him with beseeching eyes. She was begging him to take away her pain… and there was nothing he could do about it! It killed him! She just couldn't catch a break!

When there was another spike in the pain, Hunter couldn't help but wail. She drove her face even further into his chest. " Optimus…"

" I know, Hunter, I know," Optimus nearly sobbed. He held her closer and rocked her again. " Stay with me, sweet-spark. We're almost there." Yet even with the hospital just seconds in front of them, Optimus still couldn't get passed the feeling of hopelessness.

Optimus had barely even come to a stop before he had his holoform flying out the door. Once his feet were on the pavement, he was sprinting. Pushing through the hospital doors, he bellowed, " Somebody help me!"

Every head in the hospital turned to look. Their eyes went from the tall man to the girl in his arms. One look at her and everyone was in a bustle to get things ready.

Optimus stood in the center of it all. When a male nurse came to take Hunter out of his arms and put her on a gurney to take her to testing, he hesitantly but meekly obeyed. He watched helplessly as they rolled her away through a set of doors, barely paying attention to the nurse who was trying to explain to him where they were taking her. Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see a woman who looked to be in her late thirties with black hair and brown eyes dressed in yellow scrubs. The name-tag she wore read 'June Darby'. Now he knew why she looked familiar: she was Jack's mother.

" Sir, I'm going to ask you a few questions," she explained.

Optimus could only nod.

" Would you care to sit down?" she asked, motioning to a bench with the clipboard in her hand.

Optimus walked over and sank into the wood.

June sat down beside him. " Now, I'm going to need your name."

" Optimus," he answered his voice hardly above a whisper.

" Optimus Prime."

" O-kay," June replied, dragging out the word. That was an unusual name, but she wrote it down on the sheet. " The girl you brought in here, what's her name and how old is she?"

" Hunter James. Fifteen."

" Does she have any other health problems or allergies?"

" None that I am aware of, no."

" Are you her father?" June asked softly.

Optimus shook his head. " No. No, she is an orphan. I am merely a friend of her foster family, but I am somewhat her guardian you might say. I took her under my wing and we are… quite close to one another."

" Who is her foster family?"

" Mr. and Mrs. William Lennox. They should be here soon."

" Perhaps I should speak some more with them then," June said. She got up and walked away. " Thank you, Mr. Prime, and don't worry. We'll take good care of your girl."

Optimus didn't respond; he just sat there, staring at the clock on the wall, twiddling his thumbs. His attention was stolen only when he heard the door open. Looking over to see who it was, he was relieved when he saw the Lennoxes, Jack, Miko, Raf, and the new holoforms of his team, Ratchet included.

They came running towards him. " We got here as soon as we could," they all announced.

Optimus smiled slightly when all of a sudden he heard a commotion and another door open. Looking over to the hallway, he saw the nurses wheeling a gurney out. On it was Hunter, prepped and ready for surgery.

A small blond nurse in blue scrubs and carrying a stack of Hunter's clothes, came in their direction. Her eyes were fixed on the Lennoxes when all of a sudden the entire group was swarming in her direction, ready for the news. She looked a little mystified at first, but then she focused in and started explaining. " She has appendicitis so the doctor has called for an emergency appendectomy. We'll wheel her down to the O.R. and start right away. Fortunately, I think we've caught it in time…"

She went on to say more, but Optimus never heard it. He was sweeping passed them and heading toward Hunter; his eyes were locked on her. When he reached her side he grabbed onto the railing of her gurney and ran alongside it. Reaching down, he took her hand.

The fifteen-year-old's eyes opened and focused in on him.

" Optimus…" she croaked through her breathing mask. She sounded so scared.

" Hunter, it's all right. Everything is going to be all right," Optimus tried to reassure her. He stroked her forehead.

" Promise?"

" I promise. You're going to be fine."

" I'm still scared."

" I know. I know, you are. But no matter what happens, I will always be with you. Just remember, you can do anything."

Hunter squeezed onto his hand. She shook her head and cried. " Optimus…"

" You can do anything. Repeat after me: you can do anything."

" I can do anything," Hunter panted. " I… can do anything."

" You can do anything," Optimus repeated, trying his hardest to put a brave smile on. " You can do any…"

" I'm sorry, sir, but that's as far as you go with her." A large male nurse clasped Optimus' shoulder.

Optimus' hand slid out of Hunter's and he was left standing there, reaching out with it, as if to grab onto her again. They were taking her away from him. Her fate was out of his hands and in theirs.

" Optimus!" Hunter screamed in terror, reaching out for him as well.

" I'll be right here waiting for you!" Optimus bellowed back as she was rolled through the doors, out of his reach. " You can do anything, Hunter! You can do anything!" The doors swung shut, separating them.

Hunter was terrified. She wanted Optimus to be with her—she only trusted him... but he would never trust her to these people if he thought they wouldn't take care of her. She had to trust his judgment. " I can do anything," she repeated. " I can do anything." Suddenly the pain spiked again and she screwed her eyes shut moaning. " Ow! Ow!"

Optimus stared after her through the doors. For several minutes he couldn't even move. She was gone. The decision of if she lived or died was in their hands; in the doctor's experience. He tried to tell himself that it would be fine, that she was in the best care possible, but with Hunter's agony still coursing through his systems he couldn't quite believe it. It didn't help either when he thought about… how _**he**_ was her guardian. _**He **_was supposed to be her protector. Not them. _**He**_ was supposed to keep her from the pain and hurt. Not them. She was _**his**_ responsibility. Not theirs. Yet they were caring for her when he couldn't. Sighing heavily, he turned away and slowly made his way back to the others.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the emergency room…

Hunter lay motionless but still in pain on the operating table. Above her, a sterile blinded her. A thin operating blanket was draped over her torso. There were sounds of calmed bustling coming from around her—people asking for things, spouting off some medical lingo she couldn't understand. Suddenly two heads appeared above her; they were both wearing operation caps and surgical masks.

" Patient prepped for surgery, Dr. Hudson."

" Good." The man who must have been the doctor looked down at her. Gently, he stroked her forehead, just like Optimus always did, but yet not quite in the same way. His eyes smiled down at her. " We're gonna make you feel better here real quick, sweetheart," he said in a hushed, warm tone.

Suddenly, Hunter started to feel sleepy. Very sleepy. Her eyelids began to droop. Everything started to fade away, but just before she slipped into unconsciousness she whispered to herself one last time, " I can do anything…"

* * *

Hours passed—agonizingly slow hours. It felt like an eternity to everyone… especially Optimus. He sat in one of the waiting room chairs, elbows propped up on his knees. In his hands, he held Hunter's necklace. Silently, without thinking, he held the amulet against his lips and didn't remove it. He couldn't feel Hunter's pain anymore, but that was simply because she was no doubt put to sleep for the surgery. Not being able to feel the pain made him void. Void of anything… except his own fear. He tried to tell himself to stop worrying, because, just as he could feel Hunter's feelings within his spark, she could probably feel his within her heart, but it didn't work. He couldn't help but think… what if. What if Hunter wasn't all right? What if they hadn't caught the appendicitis in time? What if the surgery didn't work? What if Hunter didn't pull through? What if he… lost her? Optimus asked himself these questions and tried to answer them repeatedly, but he couldn't. What if he _**did**_ lose her? What would happen; what would he do? Truthfully, he wasn't sure. Yes, he had gone years—_**centuries**_—without her in his life before, but now… he just couldn't imagine life without her. Now that he had come to know her, care for her… he just couldn't. She brought so much joy into his life, so much happiness, so much laughter. She made his life better. She reminded him what he was fighting for. She made his life, in a way, almost… complete.

Finally June Darby made her way towards them.

Jack was first to notice. He jumped up from his seat on the floor and ran toward her. " Mom!"

Everyone looked up.

June smiled as she smoothed her son's hair back and slipped an arm around his shoulders before turning to the others. " Hunter's going to be fine," she announced happily. " The doctor did an excellent job and she's going to make a full recovery."

Everyone gave a collective sigh of release.

Optimus stood and stepped forward. " May we see her?"

" Not quite yet," June answered, shaking her head. She gave him a sympathetic smile. " The doctor's just finishing stitching her back up right now. In a few minutes we'll put her to a room, and then we'll let you go see her, but only a few people at a time for today," June warned. " She's going to be one pretty sore girl for awhile and she'll need her rest if she wants to heal up."

Everyone nodded, then as soon as Nurse Darby left, they began to cheer, except Optimus. The holoform of the Prime sank back into his chair, sighing heavily in relief. He kissed Hunter's amulet again. She was okay. Hunter was going to be okay! " Thank you, Primus," he prayed. " Thank you."


	10. Transformation

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Change… open your eyes to the light. I denied it all so long… oh so long. Goodbye. Goodbye…" Evanescence; _My Heart Is Broken_

8

Ω Transformation Ω

" Jasper's, not gonna run out of steak, Hunter," Jack laughed as he watched the fifteen-year-old put away the T-bone she'd ordered. It was just the two of them in Jasper's downtown diner. Today had been the day Hunter had gotten her stitches out (the doctor had been surprised by how quickly she'd recovered), and it had originally been planned as a celebratory dinner with the entire clan: the kids, the Lennoxes—even the Autobots. However, the plans had been changed when everyone else got pulled away on some sort of business. Team Prime had been pulled away on a last minute mission (Optimus had felt bad about it, even when Hunter had assured him it was fine). Will and Sarah were home with a sick Annabelle—nothing serious, just a little cold. Miko had gotten detention… again, and Raf had gotten into trouble at home (what it was nobody knew, and he was too embarrassed to talk about it) and hadn't been able to go. So that left Hunter and Jack alone with a sort of "date night" as they'd jokingly called it. Still, Jack couldn't help but be a little thrilled that it was just the two of them together... alone.

Hunter looked up and smirked as she chewed. " Sorry," she apologized as she swallowed. " It's just that Sarah's been feeding me bland stuff ever since I got my appendix out, and do you have any idea how hard it is to choke down food that's virtually tasteless? I can finally eat some real food!" She cut off another piece of steak, dunked it in her steak sauce, and popped it into her mouth. " Mmm!" she moaned as the heavenly taste of the meat hit her taste buds once again. She looked down at Jack's plate to see the fatty remainders of his prime rib. " Not a vegetarian like your mom, huh?" she asked.

Jack snorted and shook his head. " Are you kidding?" he chuckled.

" Why would I be a vegetarian when there's so much good stuff like this to chow on?" Suddenly a look of dread came over his face. " Don't tell her I said that," he quickly told Hunter. " Mom thinks this stuff is bad for your arteries, and she'd _**flip**_ if she ever found out. I don't mean in the good way either."

" Don't worry," Hunter assured him, popping another bite into her mouth. " Your secret's safe with me, dude." She took a sip of her Mountain Dew.

Jack did the same with his coke. " Ah!" he sighed as he set it back down. Then he belched.

Hunter stared at him, wide-eyed.

Jack's face went red and he covered his mouth. " _Great move, Jack_," he told himself.

Without warning Hunter opened her mouth a released a bigger belch. She smirked.

The boy stared at her, eyes wide, and mouth gaping, then he smirked back as if to say, "Oh, so that's how it's gonna be, huh?" He balled his hand into a fist and hit himself in the chest, releasing an even bigger burp. Crossing his arms triumphantly over his chest, he laughed. " Beat that!"

Hunter didn't even have to prepare. Right as Jack voiced the request she answered with the biggest, loudest, longest belch that anyone had ever heard. It was so huge, in fact, that it rattled the table and the window beside them in the booth. Smacking her lips Hunter looked at him. " Tastes even better the second time."

That started them both off into a laughing fit, despite the fact that everyone else around them was looking at teens out of sheer and utter disgust.

" See?" Jack huffed as his laughter subsided. " This is why we're so good together. We can act normal around each other and it doesn't matter."

" Yeah," Hunter agreed. " We do have a lot of fun together, don't we?" Then a somewhat longing expression came over the fifteen-year-old's face and she sighed. " Still… even with all the fun we've had tonight with just the two of us… I wish the others had been able to make it"

Jack smirked, reading between the lines of what she was really talking about. " What's this now?" he teased her. " Having a little 'Optimus-depravation' are we? '_**Sweet-spark**_'?"

Hunter gave him a look of shock. Part of it was from the fact that he had just read her mind, and the other part was because he had just used one of the endearing terms that Optimus called her. She hadn't thought anyone else knew about those! She smiled and looked down at the marble tabletop, a blush creeping into her cheeks. " Am I really that transparent?" she giggled.

The boy chuckled. " Only when it comes to the boss 'Bot, '_**little one**_'," he used another of the Prime's names for her. Jack watched in silence for a moment as the girl picked at her baked potato, then he dared the question. " You… really care about him," he said slowly, " don't you?"

The girl answered with a barely imperceptible nod. " Optimus is my best friend, Jack," she confessed, not even looking up from her plate. " He's saved my life… more than once. He's always there for me—even when he found out about my past he was still there for me! Not once has he ever given up on me or not defended me or turned his back on me." Hunter rested her chin in her hand and gazed out the window into the darkening cloudy sky. She was silent. After a moment she began to shake her head and said, " I can never ever find a way to repay him. After everything he's done for me… I don't think there's anything I _**could**_ do to repay him."

Without thinking, Jack suddenly reached across the table and took Hunter's free hand into his own and gave it a squeeze. " Honestly, Hunter," he stated softly with a slight smile, " I don't think Optimus cares whether you repay him or not. He just wants you to be safe and happy, and that's payment enough."

The teenager simply smiled at her friend and gave his hand a return squeeze.

Suddenly the bell over the door rang, signaling someone's entrance. As so often happens in small town diners, everyone looked over to see who it was.

Hunter glanced over Jack's shoulder. Almost instantly she huffed and rolled her eyes before looking away in vexation. " Speak of the devil," she muttered.

" What? Did Justin Bieber walk in here or something?"

" Worse."

" What's worse than Justin Bieber to you?"

Hunter pointed. " Vanity Vince and his posse."

Jack turned to look. Both teenagers were silent for a moment as they watched the group of popular kids ask for a table. Jack just silently prayed that the table would be far away from them.

Suddenly Hunter released a savage growl. Her fingers automatically closed around the handle of her knife, and then she raised it and pointed it in the reddish-orange haired boy's direction. " What I wouldn't give to just shove this knife up his pretentious, egocentric—ugh! He revs me off so fraggin' bad! I'm tellin' you, Jack, not even Optimus could hold me back from tearing that idiot limb-from-limb."

With that vow made, Jack quickly looked back at her, a look of urgency in his eyes. " Hunter, look, I know you're not exactly Vince's biggest fan…"

" What gave you that impression?" Hunter snorted sarcastically.

"… but you just gotta ignore him. And whatever you do, do not—I repeat, do _**not**_—make eye contact."

The redhead stopped glaring at Vince and focused on her friend. A look of shock overtook her face. " What's got you so worked into a tizzy? Jack, it's Vince. The guy's just another jerk off who's all talk and no action."

" Yeah, I know," Jack agreed. " But you—on the other hand—are not, and when it comes to you and him, scrap always seems to fly. Besides, he's gotten cockier again since you haven't been in school for awhile to put him in his place."

" Well, then, maybe it's time I knock him back down a few pegs on the ego scale." Hunter put her best evil-eye on and aimed it back in Vince's direction.

" Hunter, no!"

But it was too late; Hunter was already locked onto Vince's green eyes like death-ray. Without saying a word, she dared him to come over here.

Feeling her eyes on him, Vince looked over. He smirked evilly and then whispered to the two girls on his arms who in turn seemed to pass whatever information he had given them on. The entire group moved in their direction.

" Dang!" Jack nearly squeaked. Scrap was going to hit the fan. _**Lots**_ of scrap! He looked down at his plate.

" Well, well, well, look at what we have here," Vince's insidious lilt hit the air. " If it isn't one half of the 'Freak-tastic Four'." He laughed and so did his entourage, then focused on Jack. " Yo, Junk, where's the other two? Or is this a little date?"

That was when Jack noticed that he and Hunter were still holding hands. Blushing crimson clear up to the tips of his ears, he began to let go of the fifteen-year-old's hand and opened his mouth to answer the other boy when Hunter answered for him.

" His name is _**Jack**_, jerk off," she snarled threateningly. " Where the other two are is none of your business. And what the heck is it to you if this is a date or not?" As she said that, she snatched Jack's hand back up and held it tightly so that he wouldn't have been able to pull away no matter how hard he tried. " So go dig through the trash like the rat you are, Vinny."

Jack gaped in wonder at her. No two ways about it, this girl was downright amazing!

A sound of collective 'ooh's went up from the popular group.

" So," Vince mused, " red's still got a mouth on her, huh? Nice to see ya again, Hunt. You've been gone so much we were all figurin' that your appendicitis got the better of ya."

Hunter gave a sly smile. " Yeah, well, unfortunately for you I'm still very much alive. It takes a lot more than a bellyache to kill me off."

" Good to know," Vince replied, looking her over. Suddenly he pulled away from the two girls and leaned down. Propping one arm up on the table and putting the other around her shoulders, the boy pulled her in close. Their faces were centimeters apart. He hissed seductively into her ear, " Listen, what's say you ditch Darby here and come party with us?" He waited for a minute, then released a distorted chuckle. " That is, of course," he added, " unless you're too much of a little girl to come play with the big kids."

Only then did Hunter let go of Jack's hand. She pulled out from under Vince's arm and pushed up from the table. Eyes closed she slowly rose until she was standing toe-to-toe at full height with the reddish-orange haired boy. She then opened her eyes and met his. " You wanna go for round two with me, rich boy?" she snarled, sticking her face in his.

" I'll even let you have the first shot."

" Good, that way I can finish kickin' your butt faster."

Vince just smiled.

Trying not to panic at what would more than likely become an all out throw-down, Jack stood and put a hand on Hunter's shoulder. " Hunter, no," Jack whispered into her ear. " He's just baiting you. You hit him, it'll look like you started the fight. You'll get in trouble—not just with the Lennoxes or with the police, but with the big guy himself."

Hunter didn't move. She stood stock-still, glaring into Vince's disgusting, pompous, arrogant face, and he just stared back at her, taunting her with that grossly innocent smile. The girl clenched her fists so hard her knuckles cracked. What she wouldn't give to just knock this guy's block off!

The other teenagers around them exchanged nervous glances and looked back and forth between the two.

Carefully processing Jack's warning in her head, Hunter's brows furrowed. Suddenly she moved her arm, brought up her fist… and shoved passed him. " You're not worth my time." Pulling out her wallet, she threw a tip down on the table, then grabbed Jack's hand again. " Come on, Jack, let's go. The air's suddenly gotten a lot more rotten around here."

Jack's chest relaxed as he released a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. Still hand-in-hand, the two walked away. When they were halfway to the door, Jack let go of Hunter's hand and punched her lightly in the shoulder. " Nice self-control," he congratulated her.

" Self-control," Hunter huffed in annoyance. Then she cracked a smile and looked at Jack. " The only way to survive in a world dominated by idiots."

Jack laughed.

Behind them, however, things weren't half so cheerful. Even though Hunter had made it quite clear that she had no intentions of fighting, Vince was bound and determined to change her mind. The boy growled. He took a step forward and jabbed a rigid finger at her. " Don't you dare turn your back on me, James!"

Hunter rolled her eyes and kept walking.

" Hey! I'm talkin' to you, red!"

" Take it and shove it, Vince," Hunter called back over her shoulder.

" What are you—chicken?!" Vince questioned, determined to get her throwing her fists. In all honesty, he wanted that rematch so bad he'd kill for it.

The girl ignored him.

Desperate to gain her attention before he lost her, Vince pulled his hands up into his armpits. He proceeded to flap his arms, walk around, and make noises like a chicken.

Hunter and Jack both exchanged an unamused look. " Wow," Hunter mouthed. They both chuckled. " You know the only one your making look stupid by doing that is you," the fifteen-year-old told the boy.

Vince stopped. He glared after Hunter, boring holes into her back with his eyes. His face went red. The veins in his neck and forehead began to pop out. He didn't know if it was the fact that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on and he couldn't have her. He didn't know if it was because she just seemed so untouchable to people like him. He didn't even know if it was just the fact that she had shut him up with that last comment about him not being worth her time, but whatever the reason, it all boiled down to one thing: this girl was absolutely__infuriating! He just couldn't stand it! Hunter lifted her hand to start opening the door. It was now or never! " Now I know why your dad ditched you!" he blurted out the first thing that came to his primitive little mind.

At that Hunter froze. She gasped and went rigid as if he had just caught her attention, which, in a way, he had.

Vince laughed. Now he had her! " Yeah," he went on. " Yeah, your dad was so ashamed of the cowardly failure of a daughter he had, that he couldn't stand one more minute with you in his life. So he decided to dump you!"

Hunter bit her lip until it bled. Her hands squeezed into fists once more, and her nails bit into her palms. Tears pricked at her vision. Desperate to try and keep them from flowing, the redhead screwed her eyes shut, but a few trickled down her cheeks regardless. She hung her head so her hair hid around her face. She slowly shook it. " _That's not what happened_," she tried to tell herself. " _That is not what happened!_" Her shoulders started to shake with quiet sobs and she slowly sank to her knees.

Jack watched her. It was always hard to see Hunter this way. After the hell she'd been put through the past week with the 'Cons and Fowler and the appendicitis… Slowly Jack knelt down beside her, put an arm around her shoulders, and rubbed her arm in comfort. He glared back over his shoulder at the other sneering boy. " That was a real low blow, Vince," he snarled. " Even for you!" He turned back to Hunter " It's okay, Hunter," he tried to soothe her, but it goes without say that he was by far no Optimus Prime " Vince was just shooting off his mouth; he doesn't know what he's talking about. Don't let him get to you. Just ignore him."

Hunter shook her head. " I can't, Jack," she sniffled. " I just can't…" She broke off into another fit of quiet sobs and buried her face in her hands.

" Although I'm not sure why he was so surprised you were a failure," Vince continued to run his mouth without monitoring it. " I mean, like father like daughter, right?"

Hunter stopped crying. Anger replaced the pain in her heart. She opened her eyes, and they were burning with rage. Her brows furrowed. Her lips pulled back to bare her teeth and she growled a growl that was so low, long, and menacing that anyone within earshot shrank away. Her very body seemed to tremble with rage.

" Oh, and by the way, Hunter," Vince kept talking, " we were all wondering who that guy with the semi-truck that's always picking you up from school is. Your boyfriend?" He turned to address his friends. " Man, that guy must _**really**_ be robbin' the cradle! Pro'bly rockin' it a little bit too, if you catch my drift." Vince made a provocative move with his hips and they all started laughing.

That was like pouring gasoline on Hunter's already raging fury. Now he had crossed the line! " That… is… **IT!**" Hunter abruptly stood, reached over to the nearest table, and seized hold of a steak knife. Whipping around, she chucked it in Vince's direction.

In the blink of an eye, Vince was pinned to the back wall with a steak knife through the collar of his green suede jacket. " What the…" He looked back to see Hunter storming in his direction. " What's your deal, Hunter?!" he bellowed.

" No one," Hunter snarled in a sinister voice, " and I mean _**no one**_ ever talks about my dad or my Prime like that!" She reached out and seized hold of Vince's shirt. Ripping him off the wall, she hoisted him up, over, and down into one of the tables with a mighty slam, breaking it in half. She then threw him against the wall again. " Keep your mouth off 'em!"

Vince shook his head to try and clear it. Man, was this girl ever strong! If he didn't get out of here, he'd be dead in a matter of minutes! Suddenly a fist came flying at his face and Vince jerked off to the side, causing Hunter to punch straight through the wall. He waited for her to flinch or cry out or grab onto her hand or something, but she did nothing of the sort, so he shoved her off with such force that she stumbled back against the counter. Quick as a wink he was on top of her and pinning her down, his hands strangling her. " I'll rip your throat out, brat!"

Hunter clawed as his hands as she coughed and gasped for air. Finally she kicked her feet up into his stomach, causing him to flip over onto his back up on the bar. She straddled him and pinned him down. " Not if I rip yours out first!" she rasped through his chokehold. " Ah!" Vince had just bashed her in the head with a metal napkin holder, distracting her just long enough for him to move one hand from her throat up to her jaw. Suddenly she was being thrown to the floor behind the counter.

Rolling up into a crouch, Vince turned and looked down at the dazed girl on the floor below him. Rage burning in his eyes, he lunged with a roar and was back on her. Screaming and cursing the two went rolling.

Jack watched in sheer horror as the fight rolled out before him. People were screaming and running out of the diner, knocking him back and forth like a pinball. This couldn't be happening! This just couldn't be happening!

Somehow Hunter and Vince had ended up on their feet and were currently throwing each other against the walls and large appliances of the kitchen. With a scream, Hunter bashed Vince up against one of the huge refrigerators and held him there. " Had enough?" she panted raggedly.

" Hardly," Vince forced out through gritted teeth. " But you will." He kicked her off and sent her crashing against the stove where she sank to the floor with a groan. Wiping some blood off his mouth, he limped across the kitchen and snagged her by her hair. He yanked her up and tried shoving her face into a pan of grease that was still simmering and hot. " Can ya handle the heat, Hunt?!"

Hunter desperately braced her hands against the counter on either side of the stove in order to keep from being defaced. Gritting her teeth, it was all she could do to stare at the sizzling substance in horror. Her arms went even more taut as Vince tried to shove her in again. " No!"

Snarling, Vince pulled Hunter back from the stove then slammed her against it again, driving her a little bit closer. " What's your take on plastic surgery, red?" he sneered. He shoved her a little bit closer.

Hunter arms trembled with exertion. She wouldn't be able to hold out like this for much longer. When Vince pulled her away from the stove only to smash her against it again she took her chance. Yanking out of his grip and spinning off to the side at the same time, she kicked a leg up and brought it down across his back.

The act caused Vince to fall forward against the stove; his face aimed right for the pan. Instinctively the boy's hands shot out in order to catch himself, and he did just that… except one of his hands plunged into the hot grease. Screaming in agony, he flew away from the stove, holding his burnt hand out in front of him. " My hand!" he shrieked. " **MY HAND!**"

Hunter leaned against the fridge, trying to catch her breath. Reaching up to her throat, she rubbed it—she was sure there would be bruises there later. Suddenly she saw Vince storming in her direction.

He looked angrier than ever. " You little brat, you burnt my hand!" he screamed. " Now I'll break your face!" He drew back his good fist and charged, ready to pulverize her.

Hunter reached out and slapped him across the face as hard as she could. Her nails ripped right through his flesh.

Everyone screamed as Vince fell to the floor, unconscious, with five, evenly spaced slash marks ripped right across his face.

Hunter herself stood frozen in terror. Sh-she had done that? Slowly raising her hand to her eyes, Hunter examined her nails—or should I say 'claws'? Instead of their usual length, her nails were now two-and-a-half to three inch long razor-sharp talons, and instead of cartilage they were made of solid silver metal. What's worse: they were covered in blood. Vince's blood. Hunter gasped sharply. Her breathing became heavy and labored. " Wh-what's happening to me?"

" Vince!" one of the girls' voices drew her attention back to the boy laying in front of her. The head cheerleader, Sierra, was kneeling down beside Vince, fanning his face, and trying to get him to come to. " Vince! Vince, wake up! Wake up! Come on, baby, wake up!"

Hunter stared in wide-eyed horror. Suddenly she was slammed back into the wall, a hard strong hand crushing her shoulder. She looked up to see one of Vince's buddies.

" What'd you do, James?!" he demanded. " Huh?! What'd you do?!"

The fifteen-year-old shook her head. She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Her throat was tight and dry. She couldn't have answered even if she had wanted to. How could she? She didn't know what the heck she'd done. She just didn't know!

" Huh?!" the boy demanded again.

" I-I don't know," she finally squeaked. " I-I just don't know! It was an accident, I swear! I'm sorry!"

" OMG, Hunter, you are such a freak!" Sierra screamed at her.

Hunter slumped against the wall. She hung her head and hid her face in her hands. " I didn't mean to," she sniffled. " I swear I didn't mean to."

" What's your deal, James?!" another of Vince's friends went on to ask. " I mean, did you just wake up this morning and decide to kick the crap outta Vince the first minute you saw him?! Or is it just your hobby?!"

Hunter threw her hands down in clenched fists. " I didn't mean to, okay?!" she screamed, glaring up at him. " It was an accident and I'm sorry! What more do you want me to do about it?!"

The boy didn't answer. He just stood there, stock-still. His eyes were wide and locked onto her hers, but he wasn't looking into them as he was more looking at them. He trembled and he looked pale, as if he had just seen the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

" What?!" Hunter demanded.

The others looked just as scared as he did. Slowly, they all started to back away, quaking in fear.

" What?!" Hunter demanded again.

They all just shook their heads in disbelief.

Not getting anything from them, Hunter turned back to Jack, who had since joined the group 'round the back of the counter. He was white as a sheet too. She stepped towards him and he backed away. " Jack?" she asked, more than a little hurt that he was treating her in the same way they were. " Jack… what is it?"

Jack took another step away and shook his head. " Hunter…" he barely whispered, his eyes still on her.

" What?"

" Hunter… your…"

" Eyes!" Sierra screeched in horror, finishing his sentence.

Hunter was totally phased. Her eyes? What the heck did they mean by 'her eyes'? Slowly, Hunter turned away and walked over to one of the tables where she grabbed a napkin holder and looked into it. She almost screamed. Those eyes… they weren't _**her**_ eyes! They were mechanical—shuttered with pristine aqua-blue lenses! Hands quivering, Hunter dropped the holder and began to slowly back away from everyone else. " No," she murmured quietly, shaking her head. " No! No! **NO!**" She spun around and sprinted out of the diner, but she ran smack into the solid chest of a passerby. They both went tumbling to the ground; Hunter sprawled out on top of him.

" Hey!" the man snarled. " Stupid kid! Why don't you watch were you're go… What in the name of heaven?!"

Hunter immediately snapped out of her daze and scrambled away. Her hands flew to her face, and then she felt it: warm, smooth metal in place of flesh. " No!" she screamed. " What's happening to me?!" She stood up and stumbled even further away from the man and turned to flee, to get away before anyone else could see her, but it was too late. There was a crowd of people around her, all staring, pointing, and murmuring. Panting, Hunter looked from left to right and front to back, taking in the faces of the people. Fear. Utter fear. All because of her. She couldn't take it anymore! Trying to shield her face as best she could, Hunter broke through the ring of bodies and bolted off down the block, disappearing into the night.

She didn't know how long she ran, all she knew is that she had to get away from everyone—she had to find a place to hide. Without warning, lightning split the sky and a crack of thunder shook the earth. Rain started pouring down in buckets at a time. Great. Now she had to find a place to get out of the rain!

Hunter went faster. She turned down an alley. Her foot caught on a pothole and she went flying forward, planting face-first into a puddle of cold, muddy, stinky rainwater. After flailing around, Hunter finally found her feet again. Wrapping her arms around herself, she looked up to the sky, watching the lightning flash in its magnificent light show. Shivering, she proceeded down the alley, where she crawled into a soaking wet, dilapidated, old cardboard box. It wasn't exactly comfortable, and it didn't do much to keep her warm or to keep much of the rain out, but it was still better than being out in the middle of the storm.

Trying to conserve as much body heat as possible, Hunter pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Releasing a shivering sigh, she closed her eyes against the sight before her. One arm was completely metal now, and the faint pewter shine that was starting to creep up the other was nearly at mid-forearm. What was happening to her? Hunter gasped sharply in pain as a little bit more of her right arm suddenly turned to metal. " Somebody," she sobbed, " anybody, please help me. Optimus…"

* * *

It was the most drizzly and gloomy of days. Optimus slowly rolled down the streets of Jasper, searching for her. When Jack had contacted them last night, informing them that Hunter had run off and he hadn't been able to locate her, the Prime had hurried to the ranch, hoping to find her there. But when he had arrived the only people there were Will and Sarah, both worried sick over Hunter's disappearance. Of course there was only one conclusion everyone had come up with: Decepticons; but instead of ambushing the Decepticon warship without any kind of proof that they had kidnapped Hunter, everyone had decided to split up and search for her first. After all, she couldn't have gone far. So Optimus had been driving all night, in search of the young girl he deeply cared for.

Suddenly, as Optimus passed an alley, a sharp sensation of Hunter's presence came over his spark. Quickly, he braked to a stop then backed up before driving into the alley and parking. He looked around. He couldn't see any sign of her, but the feeling was so strong that she must have been close. Turning on his holoform, he opened the door and stepped out into the gray, drizzly day. " Hunter?!" he called out, trying to block out the odor of rotting garbage and the cold nip of the wind.

No answer came.

He took a few more steps away from his truck form, cupped his hands around his mouth, and tried again, his voice a bit more desperate and demanding this time. " Hunter, please, answer me!"

Still no answer.

* * *

" Hunter?!" the sound of a man's voice jolted the fifteen-year-old out of a fitful sleep. Drowsy, achy, and numb, Hunter blinked the sleep out of her eyes. She yawned and stretched, and then she looked herself over. Well, the good news was there wasn't anymore metal proceeding to take over her flesh. The bad news: the metal that had taken over her flesh last night hadn't gone away either.

" Hunter, please, answer me!"

That time, Hunter perked up. Her heart skipped a beat. That voice… that voice was Optimus' voice! She'd know it anywhere! Not thinking about looking like the Terminator, Hunter scrambled out of the box and into the cold, rainy day outside. " Optimus!" she shouted once she saw him.

The Prime's holoform whipped around. His eyes fell to her, and the only thing he saw was a shivering, muddy, young girl who needed him, not the half-human, half-machine creature she had become. " Hunter!" he breathed, holding out his arms.

Tears streaming down her numb, metal cheeks, Hunter broke into a run for his open and waiting arms. " Optimus!" she sobbed, practically crashing into his chest and throwing her arms around him. The warmth and comfort of his holoform body flowed into hers and she released everything from the night as she wailed into the darkness of his jacket.

" We've been searching for you all night. Thank Primus you're safe," Optimus sighed, the weight of dread lifting off his chest as he held her close, cocooning her against him. " Shh," he gently hushed her cries, rocking her. " Hush now. Everything is all right. I'm here now. Shh, sweet-spark. Hush."

" Optimus, I'm so sorry!" Hunter heaved out as she dug her face into the crevice of his neck.

" Shh, shh, shh."

" I-I didn't mean to hurt Vince!"

" I know you didn't, Hunter. I know."

" He… h-he just pushed me. H-he called me w-weak, a-and then he insulted my d-dad and trash-talked you, and I-I just lost it! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" She clutched onto her guardian for dear life.

" Hush, my little one," Optimus soothed as he caressed her quivering back. " You have nothing to apologize for, Hunter. I am merely happy that you are safe and well."

Suddenly Hunter coughed and shivered violently. She huddled closer to Optimus' holoform, trying to get away from the chill.

" You must be chilled to the circuits," Optimus mused. He released her and shucked off his hard-light jacket, then placed it over her shoulders. His electro-blue eyes grew wide, and the concern in them was replaced with a look of sheer disbelief and amazement as he laid eyes upon her. " By the AllSpark…" he barely breathed. Slowly he reached out and delicately ran his fingers over the smooth silver metal of her face. " Hunter…"

" I'm a freak," Hunter sniffled, looking away from him. " Some kind of monster."

" No, Hunter," Optimus whispered, pulling her back into another deep hug. " No. You're not a monster, little one"

" Then what's happening to me, Optimus?" Hunter barely croaked into his shoulder. Suddenly she gasped sharply, and made a small choking sound. She slumped against him, gagging, then slowly sank to the ground.

Alarmed, Optimus followed her. " Hunter?!" he cried, holding her by the shoulders. " Hunter, what's wrong?!"

Hunter frantically opened and closed her mouth as if to say something, but no words came, only the sound of her choking and gagging. Then she doubled over and spewed blood out onto the concrete.


	11. Daughter of Cybertron

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" You're from a whole other world… a different dimension…" Katy Perry; _ET _

9

Ω Daughter of Cybertron Ω

A worried father, Optimus paced an invisible trail in front of Ratchet's lab. It had been nearly two hours since he had found Hunter, rushed her back to base, and put her in the medic's care. He could still recall the looks and gasps of shock as he had entered the base with a nearly comatose and half-machine Hunter in his possession. They had all asked him the same question: what in the AllSpark was going on? The only problem was he wasn't sure himself. Even Ratchet had been thrown for a loop! I mean, a normal fifteen-year-old human girl suddenly turning into a machine and then throwing up blood? It wasn't exactly in any medical journals—human or Cybertronian. Ratchet had at least managed to diagnose Hunter with Cybernetic Typhoid, a deadly strain that consisted of both Cybonic Plague and Cosmic Rust properties that the 'Cons had manufactured in their biological warfare program (they realized Contagion must have infected her with his kiss). Fortunately there was a cure. But even with the cure inside of her Hunter had still continued to suffer, so even though the strain had definitely been a part of her discomfort it wasn't the main player. The next question: if it wasn't, what was and what was it doing to Hunter?

But right now Optimus didn't care about that. All he cared about was Hunter finding some solace from this pain and getting better. Pausing in his pacing, he leaned up against the wall and pressed his forehead to the door. Closing his eyes, he put a hand over his spark. " Stay with me, my little spark," he whispered, trying to send a comforting feeling to her. " Please, just stay with me." Then suddenly there came a blood curdling, tormenting scream from beyond the door. Hunter! All of a sudden the only thing Optimus could think about was getting to her. His systems went into overdrive and without hesitation or thought he busted down the doors.

The first thing his optics went to was Hunter, convulsing and straining and thrashing upon the medical berth. Then they flashed up to the heart-monitor that was going wild. Finally they came to Ratchet who almost seemed to be in a panic as he tried to stabilize the girl. " Ratchet, what is happening?!"

The medic looked up at his old friend in despair. " I don't know!" he confessed, shaking his head. " I just don't know, Optimus! She was fine one minute and writhing the next! I only had my back turned for a minute—I swear it to Primus! The next thing I know she's screaming and I don't know why!"

" Isn't there something you can do for her?!" Optimus asked urgently, completely dropping his "calm-and-collected" demeanor. Right now, the mech didn't care about being calm-and-collected. He didn't care about his reputation. All he cared about was Hunter, and she was hurting!

" Like what?!" Ratchet snorted miserably. " I've cured her of the Cybernetic Typhoid, and I've tried to do research on other human sicknesses that might account for her suffering. Primus, I've even tried putting her on an energon drip, but she doesn't respond, Optimus. There's nothing more I can do. I'm no human doctor, and even if I was I seriously doubt that there's a type of illness out there that turns organics into machines!"

" Well we must do something, Ratchet!" Optimus insisted. " I've just found her, and I will _**not**_ lose her!" His eyes fell to the young girl again who was still convulsing wildly and that's when he saw it. Hunter's necklace. The medallion that it carried… it was _**glowing**_! It was very faint at first, but then it became brighter and brighter and brighter still. It was so bright that Optimus and Ratchet literally had to shield their optics or risk being blinded.

" What in the AllSpark is this?!" Ratchet bellowed seconds away from an all out nervous breakdown.

Optimus didn't even answer. He hadn't the slightest idea.

Suddenly Hunter quite writhing and thrashing and fell limp to the berth. The room became silent as a grave. The light abruptly surged back towards the medallion and warped around it, leaving the lab suddenly darker. Slowly the Prime and the medic unshielded their optics, then stood there, staring in awe.

Without thinking, Optimus stepped forward. Ratchet reached out and tried to snag him. " Optimus, no!" he whispered harshly, though he wasn't sure why he was whispering. " What do you think you're doing?! Don't touch her!"

But Optimus wasn't listening. He was standing beside Hunter now, gazing down into her face. No longer did she look sickly, but instead was the epiphany of health and beauty and grace. Her cheeks that had only moments before been pale were now rosy. No dark lines that had been the discoloration of her vessels and arteries marred her skin. Her skin… Hunter was completely human now; the metal had vanished! Her face was now peaceful, and with the light from the medallion illuminating her, she somehow looked even younger than she was, yet older at the same time. In the glow of the medallion she almost seemed to shine, and her hair, which had been dull and damp with sweat before, was now a sheet of pure and beautiful liquid fire, shimmering gold and scarlet and crimson. Hunter was marvelously radiant. As beautiful and terrible as an archangel, and yet as sweet and innocent as a cherub.

Optimus could only stare in speechless amazement. In his entire life cycle he had never encountered anything such as this nor dreamed about it. Whatever this was, something told him that it was of great importance and it was crucial to the future of—not just Cybertronians and humans—but to the entire universe.

Unexpectedly, Hunter's eyes snapped open. For a moment, they stared at the ceiling before lowering and locking onto Optimus'. They weren't the deep sapphires the Prime remembered, but were now the clearest, sharpest and most pristine of blues he had ever seen and they stared intensely into his own. They pierced deep into him—deeper than anything had ever stared before. Straight into his spark. They held him—Optimus couldn't look away even if he had wanted to. He was trapped; locked in a trance.

That's when the air was filled with thousands of voices chanting in Latin. " _Flamma surget_… _Flamma surget_… _Flamma surget_… _Flamma surget…_"

Whether or not Ratchet could hear the voices, Optimus didn't know. All he could see, think, feel was the girl before him. Within his spark chamber, his spark burned—not in pain, but instead in a sensation of being summoned.

Without warning there was a voice whispering to him, " _Ignite her spark_…"

Optimus began to reach out.

Behind him, Ratchet couldn't believe his optics. " Optimus, no!" he screamed. He tried to rush forward, but something was holding him back.

" _Ignite her spark_…"

" What do you think you're doing?! You don't know how you could be affected by this!"

" _Ignite her spark_…"

" Don't touch her, Optimus!"

" _Ignite her spark_…"

Optimus had Hunter's small hand into his own.

" _Surge, filia Cybertron_!"

There was a searing swell of pain that crushed onto Optimus spark; he cried out, but he did not let go of the girl's hand. There was a flash and the light from the medallion exploded out and up. The explosion was so powerful that Optimus and Ratchet were literally thrown through the walls of the lab out into the main room of the base. For a moment they laid there in a daze, watching as the light surged upward. Then there came a hissing, whirring and clanking sound from within the lab before all stopped and became still.

" What in the AllSpark was that?!" Ratchet cried as he sat up, rubbing the small of his back. He rotated his shoulders to make sure everything was a-okay there, then proceeded to stand, dusting himself off as he did.

Optimus did the same. Once he was on his feet he began to rub at the back of his helm where he had cracked it hard against the concrete. " I'm afraid I can't say," he told the medic. " I have never encountered anything such as that." That's when he noticed the steam pouring out of the lab, eerily creeping across the floor like a silvery veil of fog. He took a step back, not sure what this meant. Then he saw a dark figure about the size of Bumblebee but with a female figure slowly, with stumbling steps, emerging from the haze. For a minute, he was perplexed. There were no other femmes within the base expect Arcee, and she was not nearly the same size—or body-shape really—as this figure. Then his optics widened as a sudden realization hit him. Skin turning to metal, the retching of blood, the voices within his head telling him to ignite her spark…

" What in the name of Primus?" Ratchet breathed, backing away.

Optimus on the other hand crept slowly forward, crouched into a ready position, just to be safe. One considerate step after the other he approached the figure.

The figure had reached the door of the lab and was leaning against the frame in a weary fashion. The lights of the base shone off her flawless and beautiful scarlet black-and-silver striped armor in such a way that she almost seemed to be glowing. The insignia of the Autobots garnished both of her shoulderplates nobly, while in the center of her chestplate the emblem of the Hybrid was bared just as proudly. Groaning, the femme reached a hand up and rubbed her aching helm. " Slag it," she mumbled.

The voice confirmed Optimus' suspicions. Standing up to full height, his optics growing even wider, he stared at her in amazement. How could he not have seen this? The medallion on her necklace should have been a dead giveaway! Yet he'd overlooked it. " Hunter?" he said. Optimus watched on as the femme raised her head and looked at him. Even though her optics looked dazed, they were the most pure and beautiful of blue he had ever seen. " Hunter," he repeated, " is that you?"

" Optimus?" Hunter spoke at a hoarse croak. She pushed away from the wall, took a shaky step forward, stumbled, and would have crashed to the floor if Optimus hadn't hurried and caught her in his arms. Leaning all of her weight against him, Hunter closed her eyes and panted heavily, trying to slow her breathing down to the same time of his steady spark-beat. Instinctively, she nuzzled into his chest. As she took in the oh-so-familiar sweet, aged-wine scent of his energon she began to feel her heart rate going back to normal. Her breathing came easier. Sighing, she opened her eyes, and that's when she noticed it. How could she be standing on the ground… and nuzzling into her guardian's chestplate at the same time? Not only that but, now that she looked at it, Optimus seemed to be in normal proportions with her rather than towering above her like a colossal sky-scraper as he usually did. Cocking an eyebrow, she looked up at her big mech in bafflement. " Um…" she stuttered, not quite sure how to word the question, "… is it just me… or did you get a whole lot smaller, big guy?"

A corner of Optimus' mouth twitched upward into a small smile as he shook his head stoically. " No, Hunter," he chuckled, kneeling down to her optic height. " I am very much the same size. It is you who has gotten larger." He gently tapped the Hybrid symbol on her chest. " You see, you are not what we believed you to be."

Hunter looked at the symbol then slowly raised her hands to her eyes. They were metal; she wasn't human anymore. The realization of what Optimus meant and of what she truly was began to sink in. Her hands feel slowly to her sides and she fixed Optimus with a look that was half of excitement and half of fear. " I'm a Hybrid," she gulped, barely able to spit the words out. She watched as her guardian nodded his head in confirmation to her claim. She felt lightheaded. Before she could catch herself, she was falling into his shoulder, beginning to black out. " Holy scarp…"

* * *

Latin Translation:

_Flamma surget— _The flame shall rise.

_Surge, filia Cybertron— _Rise, daughter of Cybertron.


	12. Cursed

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Guess you really did it this time. Left yourself in your warpath. Lost your balance on a tight rope. Lost your mind tryin' to get it back…" Taylor Swift; _Innocent_

10

Ω Cursed Ω

'_Being __a Hybrid isn't easy_'—that's what Hunter wished someone had told her directly before she'd discovered what she was. Unfortunately she hadn't had that luxury, so she'd had to figure it out the hard way, and even then it was an understatement. Being a Hybrid wasn't just hard—it was absolutely _**agonizing**_. If it wasn't one thing it was another. Not only did the 'Cons want her dead, but anymore it seemed like everyone on Team Prime did too. When the team had discovered she was a Hybrid they'd shut her out. The 'Bots who had once been her friends and protectors were now more like her enemies and assailants. They were hostile, distant, and cold. Arcee absolutely despised her and practically spat on her whenever she was close at hand. Bulkhead continuously shoved her around and insulted her, asking her why she was still here, why she didn't just leave because nobody wanted her. Ratchet tried to avoid talking or being seen with her altogether. Even Bumblebee gave her the cold shoulder. What Optimus had said about Purebreds still hating and blaming Hybrids for what had happened to Cybertron was dead on. The team absolutely hated her, no two ways about it.

And it wasn't just the team; their human companions weren't all too fond of her anymore either. Though they weren't quite as outspoken about it as the 'Bots, Jack, Miko, and Raf mostly tried to stay away from her. They hardly ever associated with Hunter anymore; and when they had to they seemed to do so grudgingly. They completely ignored her, acting like she didn't even exist. They moved away from her at the lunch table or turned around and walked in the opposite direction when they saw her coming their way.

All in all, Hunter had been pushed out, but she had not been completely abandoned. The young Hybrid still had Optimus on her side, and he accounted for far more than anybody.

The large Prime had never left her. Even as he often got caught in the crossfire of the bitter ridicules and incessant belittling that now plagued Hunter day in and day out, he stood with her, supporting her, shielding her from what he could. He alone was her constant support, her shoulder to cry on. No matter what happened or what she had to endure, Hunter knew he was always there for her to turn to, to find some refuge with. She could always count on his strong protective arms to be open and waiting for her when she needed him to hold her. Hunter was never alone with her Prime around.

But even the enduring friendship of a Prime can't undo all curses.

* * *

" Oof!" Hunter hit the floor of the training room so hard that a dent formed in the concrete around her. She remained lying there with her eyes closed, groaning until she felt herself cast in shadow. She cracked optics open.

Standing over her was Bulkhead, her training partner for the afternoon. For nearly an hour now he had been helping everyone determine Hunter's strength by participating in fist-to-fist combat with her. The only problem was that no information on her strength had been recorded… because Bulkhead was wiping the floor with her… _**badly**_. And from the look on his face, he was greatly enjoying it too. " What's wrong, Hybrid?" he chuckled in a self-pleased way. " Can't take what you dish out?"

At that comment Hunter forgot about her pain. She snarled, rolled back onto her shoulders, and launched herself up to her feet. She shook her head and brushed off the layer of concrete dust that had settled over her scarlet black-and-silver striped armor. " And just what exactly am I "dishing out", Bulkhead?" she growled, giving him a harsh glare. " Please tell me, 'cuz I would just love to know! We've been at this for an hour and so far _**you've **_been the only one taking, let alone planting, any shots. I haven't had a second to even think about throwing a punch your way!"

" What're you gettin' at, brat?" the large green Autobot gnarled.

" I'll tell you what I'm gettin' at!" rumbled the femmling. " You're getting' in cheap shots; that's what I'm gettin' at, tin-for-brains! You're kickin' me when I'm down, hittin' me when I'm blind, and taking advantage when I'm dazed. You're not giving me half a chance!"

" And you think a Decepticon will?!" Bulkhead countered.

" No!" Hunter snapped, furious by now. " I don't think a 'Con will give me a chance! In fact, I _**know**_ a 'Con won't give me a chance! But that's got diddlysquat to do with what you're doing! Or did you forget that this is supposed to be a test of my strength, not a battle-field lesson?! Not that I'd be surprised if you did forget, considering all that empty space you got up there in that fat head of yours!" She smacked the green Autobot across the face.

" Hey!" Miko snapped, jumping to her feet and running to the edge of the catwalk where all three humans had been watching. " You can't do that to him!"

Her motor revving, Hunter turned on the Japanese girl. " Oh, just watch me!" Without warning she ducked down and swept Bulkhead's feet out from under him with a quick swipe of her leg. In the blink of an eye, she'd hefted his bulking frame up over her head as if he weighed no more than a human. Truthfully he probably didn't weigh much more, considering the strength ratio between an Autobot and a Hybrid is about the same as that between an Autobot and a human—if not more. " Haaaaaaa!" She lobbed him across the room and through the far wall, then she reached down and ripped off the small wrist monitor that had been reading her vitals during the session and recording and storing data for further researching purposes. She chucked it on the ground and stomped it before whipping around and getting in Miko's face. " There!" she barked. " Let Ratchet use _**that**_ for testing!"

" Okay, now that was uncalled for, Hunter," Jack said, both he and Raf rising to their feet. " You didn't need to launch Bulk across the room like a lobbing ball."

" But I did anyway, Jack," Hunter huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. " So what're ya gonna do about it? Huh? Exactly. You're not gonna do anything about it, 'cuz there's _**nothing**_ you can do about it. You're a _**human**_. You can't even touch me!"

The three kids all became quiet and still. The coldest of glares passed over their faces and the boys crossed their arms while Miko perched her hands on her hips.

" Just remember, Hunter," Jack reminded her in a slow and measured voice, " not so long ago you were human too."

" You always used to fight the bullies," Raf grumbled looking away. " Now you've turned into one."

" Sounds like you're turning into a 'Con, if you ask me," Miko spat.

Hunter could barely believe her audio-receptors. What's worse is that she knew that they were right, and that made it sting all the more. But she wasn't about to admit it. Instead she shook her head, put a hand on her hip, and pointed at them. " You three can just take it and shove…" a savage roar cut her off and soon Bulkhead was tackling her to the ground. Hunter grimaced as her front was grated and scarped against the rough cement. Jabbing her elbow up into the side of Bulkhead's head, she knocked him off and rolled into a crouch. She extracted her razors—or what she liked to call her "Wolverine claws" (three in each hand and protruding through her knuckles when extracted, just like the mutant himself)—and lunged for him. " You wanna piece a me, Bulk?! Well, here's more 'n you can handle! Rah!"

Growling, snarling, and roaring like a couple of lions fighting over a scrap of meat, the Hybrid and the Autobot battled. It was a fair fight: Hunter having more strength, but Bulkhead having more experience. It went on for almost half-an-hour until finally it took one of Hunter's sonic screams to bring Bumblebee, Arcee, and Optimus running to discover what the ruckus was about.

It looked like a bomb had gone off in the training room. There were numerous holes in the walls where a 'Bot had been thrown through or where the wall had collapsed and caved in due to the sonic scream. The floor was torn up. Pipes both in the floor and on the walls were ripped off and out, and were spewing both water and energon out onto the ground. Cables had been torn out of the ceiling. In the midst of it all were Bulkhead and Hunter, scuffed, scraped, leaking energon, and still going at it.

The Prime, scout, and femme responded at the same time. Running into the middle of a fight, they seized hold of the two and pulled them apart. Even then the sparring 'Bots continued to rage on.

" Hunter! Bulkhead! Enough!" Optimus bellowed as he continued to drag Hunter to the other side of the room as Bumblebee and Arcee struggled to do the same with Bulkhead.

But the ex-Wrecker and femmling still paid no heed.

" Just who do you think you are, Hybrid-scum?!" Bulkhead challenged the femmling.

" Why don't you come over here again and find out?!" Hunter roared. She started to lunge in his direction but Optimus held her fast. However, he weren't doing much in the "holding her back" category—being quite a bit stronger than him, she dragged him along.

" **ALL RIGHT! ENOUGH!**" Optimus' commanding voice boomed louder than before, almost shaking the entire base. That quickly brought Bulk and Hunter out of their rampage. " Now," Optimus sighed, just daring to barely relax his hold on his trainee, " would somebody please mind telling me just what caused this to happen here?"

"…!"

" One at a time! One at a time!" Arcee barked as Hunter and Bulkhead began to talk rapid fire at once.

Bulkhead went first. " The glitch attacked me!"

" You are _**such**_ a fraggin' liar!" Hunter screeched. She pointed a rigid and accusing digit at him. " I didn't attack _**you**_—you attacked _**me**_!"

" Not how I remember it."

" Well, then come on over here and let me jog your memory… assuming I can find it in that one-track circuit you so laughably call a brain."

" That's it!" Bulkhead lunged for her, but 'Bee and 'Cee held him back.

" Bulkhead, stand down!" the Prime growled. Then he looked down at the Hybrid. " Hunter, I am disappointed in you."

Hunter just stared up at him in disbelief. Wait, he was disappointed in _**her**_?! What did _**she**_ do?! This was all Bulkhead's fault. He was the one who had been beating the ever-living scrap out of her! He was the one who instigated it! She would've been fine if he hadn't have been shouting insults at her and shoving her around all the time. He was responsible. She was the victim here! It was Bulkhead he should be mad at, not her! " Whatever," Hunter finally huffed, yanking away from the Prime's grip. Turning around, she began to march away, a slight limp in her step. Suddenly, feeling the urgent need to leave with the last word, she paused and looked back over her shoulder. " I'll be in my quarters mutilating myself… if by some chance you come looking for me. Although I seriously doubt that anyone cares." And with that she turned around and was planning on continuing her storming away scene when suddenly she ran smack into Ratchet.

" You'll have to throw your temper tantrum some other time, Hybrid," Ratchet gnarled. 'Hybrid'—the only term the medic insisted on calling Hunter now. It wasn't meant to be endearing either—not with that acidic and biting tone he had taken up with her ever since they had discovered she was one of the breed so clearly projected in his voice. " Right now I've something for all of you to see. I think you'll all find it quite…" his optics, which had previously been taking in every other sentient being in the room besides Hunter now focused solely on her, "… interesting."

Hunter looked up at him out of the corner of her optic, then quickly shifted her gaze down to the floor. It had to do with her. Why else would the medic be looking at her like that? Just like his insisted use of 'Hybrid' and that bitter tone, that cold, despicable glare that plainly transmitted all his feelings of loathing and hatred was meant only for her. Everyone on base had one of those looks for her.

" What is it Ratchet?" Optimus questioned, not really sure he wanted to know. Just like Hunter, he could tell from Ratchet's stare on the young Hybrid that it had something to do with her… and it wasn't good, whatever it was. It seemed anymore that whenever there was news in this base, and it pertained to Hunter, it was only meant to hurt her. And it did hurt her. Optimus knew it; could feel it in their spark-link. Everyday, through their link, he could feel, let alone see, that Hunter's emotional hurt was cutting deeper and deeper into her. It nearly broke his spark. He knew that other children had bullied Hunter at school many times, but that had been something entirely different. At least then she'd been able to find some solace away from it all. There were times it had almost seemed like none of it affected her, and—being well aware of her self-confidence level as well as knowing just how stubborn she was—the Prime was willing to bet it hadn't bothered her. Plus she'd had a group of supportive friends to help her through when she needed them. But now she had no place to get away from it all. Her friends had abandoned her. And it was getting harder to deal.

" It has to do with Hunter," Ratchet answered, confirming both the femmling and the Prime's suspicions. He snarled at the scuffed and leaking Hybrid one more time then turned away and marched off down the hall in the direction of his laboratory.

Hunter stood frozen; optics locked onto a single section of the cement where water was starting to pool from a damaged pipe. She didn't even move when Bulkhead, Bumblebee and Arcee passed her, purposely knocking shoulders with her and mumbling slurs at her under their breath. When the kids scrambled down from the catwalk and ran passed her out the door after the others, sending disdainful looks up at her as they went by, she remained stock still. She was too emotionally hurt to move. Once again she found herself wishing, for the millionth time since her transformation, that she could just disappear. She just couldn't take this anymore! The ridicules, the threats, the snide remarks, the daggering glares, it was all getting too hard to withstand. Dealing with Vince and his posse at school was one thing, this was another. She at least knew that Vince hated her because she had humiliated him more than once and because she was the one thing he could never have. The sheer embodiment of everything Vince wanted so badly it hurt, but could never even hope to gain for as long as he lived. At least that's how Jack, Miko, and Raf had described it… when they had still been communicating with her that is. But she had done nothing to Team Prime. Before she could stop it, a single tear slipped down her cheek. It hung on her chin from a moment before dripping off and splashing into the pool of ever-growing water at her feet.

Optimus watched as the others disappeared down the hall, still finding it hard to believe that his team could ever be so cruel, then turned his attention back to the idle femmling. He knew she was sparkbroken; like everything else he could just feel it. As he studied more closely, he could tell she was trembling, and that's when he heard it. A quiet sob. Then he saw the tears, glistening like small diamonds as they fell from her face into the puddle. His spark melted in sheer pain for her. A sympathetic expression coming over his features, the Prime sighed heavily and advanced towards her. He placed gentle hands on her shoulders. She immediately stopped trembling. " Hunter?" Optimus questioned.

Slowly, the young Hybrid turned her head and gazed up at him from the corner of her optic. For a moment she stared at him, taking in the tender and kind expression on his faceplate. She locked onto the gentleness in his eyes. She knew he was trying to comfort her; trying to tell her it was okay, that he was there for her. She knew she should've been grateful… but all she could think about was what he had said to her earlier; " _I'm disappointed in you_." Those four little words were just enough to harden her spark against him. Her gaze grew cold. " I thought I was a disappointment to you," she rasped bitterly. Drying her optics, she jerked away from his touch and stormed off towards the lab.

* * *

The minute she set foot inside the lab, Hunter was greeted with another wave of cold, loathing glares. Half-in, half-out of the door, she paused in her tracks, deciding whether to enter or leave. Ratchet had said that this involved her. In translation that meant that it wasn't something anyone would like, and if that was the case then it wouldn't matter if she was here to find out about it or not, since she'd most likely be harassed about it later by the others. She was just about ready to back out and retreat to her quarters when she felt the warmth of his presence behind her. Looking up over her shoulder, she met Optimus' eyes, the gentle sympathy and understanding still held within them. Her faceplate twisted in disgust. Huffing spitefully, she turned away from him and stomped out of the way, retreating as quickly as she could to the location farthest away from him.

Optimus watched after her with sorrowful and fairly hurt optics. This was not the Hunter he knew. The Hunter he remembered had been spirited and warm and—being a snuggler—had craved his nearness as she had craved for the air she breathed. This femmling was nothing of the sort. She was perpetually downtrodden and cold and distant, constantly in emotional turmoil; like she had been before they had met. In fact she was acting almost exactly in the same way she had before she had been welcomed into the fold of the team. Not a big surprise, considering she wasn't welcome anymore.

Optimus watched on as the young Hybrid took a tentative seat in the shadows of the very back corner, and, despite her distance away from the others, kept her muscle cables drawn tight, ready to carry her out of the room at a moment's notice. Her optics watched the others with a wary gaze; always watching for some sort of signal to tell her to flee so she wouldn't be "ambushed". This alone was enough to break the Prime's spark twice over. She was acting in the exact same fashion towards the team, as she would towards a Decepticon… not that he could really blame her. With the way she had been treated the past month, they probably seemed worse than the 'Cons to her. Suddenly, Optimus' optics inexplicably fell to the crates on which the scarlet, black-and-silver striped femmling was perched. There was nothing special about them really. They were simply some old crates that probably held some energon or medical supplies at one time had and had since been emptied out. Thus, with no current use for them, Ratchet had cast them off to the side. Much like Hunter had been.

" Optimus, are you listening?" Ratchet's voice broke through the Prime's thoughts.

Jerking back to reality, Optimus shook his head and turned to see that the medic was staring right at him, arms crossed over his chassis with an irritated expression on his faceplate. " I'm sorry, old friend," he apologized. " I'm afraid my processor was elsewhere. What was it that you were saying?"

Ratchet rolled his optics and snorted in exasperation, knowing exactly where the Prime's processor had been. He was about as transparent as the windshields on his over-sized chest when it came to her. Honestly what did Optimus see in that girl? Yes, Ratchet had been a friend with Hunter at one time as well, but he had since severed that connection with her after her transformation, as had everyone else. Everyone else, but Optimus. He didn't understand why the Prime remained by her side and defended her when it was obvious that no one else would ever change their minds about her. But then again there were a lot of things concerning Primes that he would never ever begin to understand, and the Herculean bonds a Prime could form with another living being—in this case, a Hybrid femmling—were first on that list.

" As I was saying," the medic stated loudly, clearing his throat as he did, " I was running some tests on an energon sample I had recently taken from Hunter. I don't know why, but from day one there has just been… something about that armor of hers that seems so familiar. Especially that headset." His optics traveled over to the femmling in the corner, as did everyone else's.

Only half listening to the conversation going on at the front of the room, Hunter's gaze was locked onto a point on the wall off to her right as if there was something absolutely marvelous to look at there. As she did this, she was absentmindedly tracing over the contour grooves of her face that ran from the bottom of her optics down her cheekplates. Suddenly she felt all eyes upon her. Pausing in mid-trace, she looked up to see the entire group looking in her direction again. Her gaze turned icy and her lip-plates curled into snarl. Taking her index finger away from her face, she crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from them.

" I haven't been able to explain it…" Ratchet went on, drawing everyone's attention back away from the femmling, "… until now." A grim look came over his faceplate as he turned away to the computer. He typed in a code and suddenly a picture popped up on the screen. A picture of a large male Hybrid.

All 'Bots gasped in unison. Could that really…? Was that really…?

" By the AllSpark…" Optimus barely dared to breathe. Optics wide with both terror and alarm, he stared at the image before him on the screen. A cold feeling—a feeling that he had only ever felt in battle whenever Megatron was near—suddenly gripped onto his spark and clung there, chilling every circuit in his body as it reached out into his systems. For the first time in his life, he found himself literally quaking in fear. " Scarface Malice."

" Scarface Malice?" Jack questioned. He, Miko, and Raf all exchanged confused glances. Then they looked up to their 'Bots once again. " Who's Scarface Malice?"

" Only the most malevolent, vile, and cruel Cybertronian of all time," Ratchet answered his voice hardly above a whisper.

" Oh, please," Miko snorted skeptically. " Even worse than Megatron?"

" Far worse, Miko," Bulkhead replied, an unmistakably fearful vibration in his voice. " He may as well have been Megatron's hero—the guy he modeled himself after. Megatron's a newly sparked sparkling compared to Scarface! This was the guy who led the Hybrid rebellion back on Cybertron."

" Legend has it that Scarface was the literal incarnation of evil," Arcee added. " Whether or not the legend is actually true is unknown… but he sure could have been."

" Did you guys know him or something?" Raf asked.

All 'Bots gave a quick shake of their heads.

" The rebellion happened ages before any of us ever came into being," Ratchet explained, " but the tales of him have been passed on through the centuries. The story of him being evil incarnate is only the tip of the iceberg. There's much more to it than that," Ratchet went on. " It's said that he possessed the power to enter someone's subconscious and slay them in their dreams… never to awake again."

" Don't forget about all the stories of him devouring the sparks of the offspring of his enemies," Bulkhead put in. " I heard he strapped them down to a table, and picked away at their sparks while they were still on-line… their screams and cries like music to his audio-receptors. He'd even chain their sires and creators to the floor or hold them in a cell to make them watch."

" What about the myths of him being able to control the energon pumping through someone's veins?" Arcee asked. " He could make them do whatever he wanted, like he was possessing them… only they weren't possessed. They knew what they were doing; they strained against it… but they couldn't stop."

Hunter, still in the back corner, had been listening in horror to the legends of this mech the entire time. She could barely believe her audio-receptors. Controlling the energon within someone's veins? Crawling into someone's dreams and killing them like some sort of freakish alien version of Freddy Kruger? Eating the still beating sparks out of the chests of sparklings as they cried out in agony and terror while their creators stood helplessly by and watched? A tremor went through her, and her hands reached up and clutched at her own spark chamber, as if to protect it from this insidious mech. She stared up at the image of him on the screen. A freezing cold feeling entered her systems, just as though Scarface Malice was in the room right now.

" You make him sound like some sort of… monster or demon," Jack finally replied after a minute.

" In many ways, he was, Jack," Optimus answered, still looking at the screen. " Hybrids were the ultimate Cybertronians—essentially they were what you humans might call 'superheroes'. But Malice possessed far more powerful and terrible abilities than any Hybrid ever had before. He reveled in the black arts and abused his power, only wishing to harm others. He committed unspeakable acts… acts I find hard to believe that even Megatron could stomach." Then suddenly the Prime turned to the medic and fixed him with a stern, almost angry gaze. " Ratchet, what has any of this to do with Hunter?" he demanded.

At the sound of her name, Hunter's attention was drawn. She pulled her optics away from the screen and looked at Optimus. Just like always whenever someone wanted to harm her or speak badly of her there was that certain defensive, protective tone in his voice.

The medic stared at Optimus in disbelief and scoffed. " You can't honestly tell me you don't see it?" he asked, though it wasn't really a question. Honestly, he wasn't really all that surprised. Considering just how much Optimus cared for Hunter, it really only made sense that the Prime would be blind to the obvious.

" See what, Ratchet?"

" The resemblance?" Ratchet waited for a change in Optimus to see if he would catch on, but none came. The medic released an aggravated sigh before jabbing a harsh finger in Hunter's general direction. " Just look at her, Optimus!" he hollered. " You look me in the optics and tell me that she's not the spitting-image of Malice!"

Optimus watched the medic with a hard gaze, then his eyes slowly shifted over to the young femmling—who in turn looked away from him and down to the floor—and carefully began to study her. He hated to admit it… but Ratchet was right. Her armor was set and molded in the same way and possessed the same coloring as Malice's: deep scarlet with a thick black and silver patterned band decorating her headset and torso. A grill was across her mid-plate. Her black "ACDC lightning bolt shaped"—at least that's how Miko had described them—antennas were the same as those of Malice. Their headsets framed each of their faces in the exact same way: coming down the center in an olfactory-sensor guard, up and around the optics and optic-ridges, until finally wrapping around to cover the cheekplates. The edges of the facial opening were offset in a thin black stripe. But perhaps the most striking resemblance between the two—the silver, crescent moon shaped headpiece that sat on the forehead, almost looking like a pair of horns when viewed from behind. From the headpiece, to her black heel-struts, to the tires set on her backplate and housed in her shins, one could almost swear that Hunter was the exact female clone of Scarface Malice. Even now, the scowl that was crossing her faceplate and creasing her brows made the similarity between the femmling and the picture of the mech even more unnerving. Growling to himself, Optimus looked away from the Hybrid femmling and back to Ratchet. Slowly, in an almost begrudging way, he locked gazes with the white and amber medic. " You are correct, Ratchet," he admitted. " There is a strong resemblance between them."

" And it goes far beyond that," Ratchet continued with a nod. " The tests I ran also picked up on some distinct matches between their CNA. I formed a hypothesis of why, but I had to be sure, so I did a little research on your young Hybrid's lineage to see just what I could dig up. And my hypothesis was correct. She's a throwback, Optimus. Malice was Hunter's great-great grandsire!"


	13. Scarred

**First of all, I would like to thank all of those who have favorited and followed and left reviews for this story. You guys all rock and make this thing that much more enjoyable to write and share. Thank you, and God bless. :)**

**I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Deception… Disgrace… Evil as plain as the scar on his face!" The Lion King 2; Simba's Pride; _One of Us_

11

Ω Scarred Ω

'Grandsire', the word hit Hunter like a ton of wrecking balls and rattled around inside her processor, haunting her. Her body immediately went cold, all the life draining from it. If she had been in human form, she would have been white as a sheet. She sat in unmoving, stunned silence. After a moment her numb mind began to form a question—one single question. " _Grandsire?_" she asked herself. A few more minutes and another inquiry materialized. "_ How can this mech… this horrible, evil, insidious mech… be my great-great grandsire?_" Her optics were pulled up to the screen again as she began to study the image of Malice. She gulped. Just like Optimus, she too could see the resemblance between Scarface and herself. It was too distinct to not be seen. Same armor. Same headset. Even the same headpiece in the shape of a crescent moon. There was only one obvious difference between the two of them, and that was the Autobot emblem. While the insignia was bared upon Hunter's shoulderplates in all their red glory, not even a mention of the symbol marked any part of Malice's chassis.

For a brief second that gave Hunter some hope. But then it was quickly dashed away once she remembered one crucial fact that Optimus had explained to her the first day they'd met. Of course Scarface Malice wouldn't bear any symbol but that of the Hybrid. When the Hybrid rebellion had taken place, there had been neither Autobots nor Decepticons—that divide had not yet existed. The only split there had been was the one between the Purebreds and Hybrids. And back then it hadn't been the Decepticons who had fallen; it had been the Hybrids. In many ways the Hybrids had been the Decepticons of the pre-division era.

Suddenly Hunter felt like she was being watched. She looked away from the image, and saw that everyone's eyes were trained on her once again. Yet it wasn't the same. Since her transformation there had been hate for her in the eyes of the team, but that hatred had only been on one level—had only been because she was a Hybrid. This hate was of a very different degree. This hate that was held within their eyes now was much stronger, was on many levels, and somehow went deeper. _**Much**_ deeper. It was so deep in fact that the femmling could swear she could see and feel it coming from the blackest and centermost parts of their sparks.

Hunter shivered as an ominous feeling settled over her spark. She gulped. Something wasn't right—didn't feel right. Scarp was going to fly. They would all be on her, ready to rip her to shreds, and there was no doubt in her mind that between all of them they could do it. She had to get out.

That's when it began.

A vicious, low growl that sounded almost exactly like that of an enraged Decepticon suddenly emitted from Arcee's vocalizer, causing everybody to jump and stare at her. The blue two-wheeler ignored them and began to advance towards the young Hybrid. Actually a more appropriate term would be 'stalked', because that's exactly what it seemed like she was doing: stalking her prey.

Hunter's nerves tingled sharply. All of a sudden she didn't just feel as though she was in danger, she knew it. She didn't know how she knew, but she had felt this sensation before, and every time she had, something that put her in physical danger had soon occurred. But while her mind and instincts screamed at her to listen to it and run away, she couldn't move. It was like she was in some sort of stasis lock—conscious but paralyzed. And no matter how hard she tried to make her muscle cables and joints work, she couldn't. She was trapped. As helpless as she had been the day she'd been hunted down and nearly killed by that Decepticon bounty hunter group. In fact, to Hunter, it felt as though she was staring right back up into the optics of Fang, the hunter who had nearly finished her off. In many ways, she could have been. Arcee was using that same eerily silent hunter's-tread that Fang had used, and the word 'kill' was just as prominent on the femme's faceplate as it had been on the mech's. The only difference was the optics. Fang's gaze had held a sort of dementia along with the rage, as if he had gone completely mad by the time he had caught her. Arcee's held no dementia, no craziness. Only pure rage.

Arcee was standing right before her now, gazing down at her, her shadow looming over the femmling like a dark, foreboding storm cloud. For a minute she said and did nothing. Then her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles cracked and her very frame began to tremble. " You…"

Hunter gulped. Never in the months since she had come to know the 'Bots had she ever been afraid of them. Any of them; even after her transformation. She had been afraid of spending time with them, but she hadn't been afraid of them directly. Now she wasn't just afraid… she was terrified! Suddenly the femmling gasped sharply. A chill as cold as and arctic wind shot up her spine, causing her shoulders to snap sharply back and her back to arch in. Her head was thrown back, and she was staring at the ceiling, optics wide. The shutters of her eyes closed in around her aqua lenses, contracting them. For a moment she was shrouded in darkness, and then she was soaring through a vortex of flashing bright colors and being sucked back again. Dazed, Hunter shook her head. " _Slag that was weird_," she thought to herself. " _What the heck happened? One minute I'm staring up at Arcee, the next I'm watching myself get…_" and suddenly that's when it occurred to her. Foresight: seeing things before they happened—another of her powers! That was almost too amazing to believe!

" **YOU TRAITOROUS LITTLE WRETCH!**" Arcee's screech brought Hunter out of her thoughts. The two-wheeler extracted one of her blades and thrust her arm skyward, catching the Topkick's face.

There was a sharp cry of pain as Hunter fell to the floor, her hand flying to her face. For a minute she stayed there, her face hidden from the others, one hand pressed to it as she tried to stop the energon that was leaking down her forehead and into her optic. Her chassis quivered as both anger and pain boiled through her systems. All of a sudden, with a bloodcurdling roar, Hunter launched herself to her feet to face the femme, her claws extracted.

Arcee, who had been in a ready stance, waiting for her, suddenly gasped and quickly backed away, optics wide. A collective gasp rose up from the others as well. They all began to stare. There, down the left side of Hunter's face, was a long, wide, deep gash that had been ripped open by Arcee. It was large—much larger than Optimus' battle-scar. It sloped from up on her temple, down through her optic-ridge, over her optic, and nearly halfway down her cheekplate.

Miko stared at the scar, then turned and looked back up at the image on the screen. She turned back to Jack and Raf. " Anybody else getting a strange case of déjà vu?" she asked.

" If I didn't see it, I wouldn't believe it," Bulkhead stated.

" This can't just be a coincidence, right?" Arcee whispered. " I mean, I wasn't even trying to do that! But if it happened…" she pointed to the wound, "… right there… if I cut her there like that without meaning to… that's gotta be some sort of sign… right?" She was more babbling to herself than to anyone else.

Not even listening, Ratchet just continued to stare and shake his head. " Scarred…" the medic breathed. " Scarred… just like her grandsire."

" He is _**not **_my grandsire!" Hunter screamed in rage. She pointed up at the image of Scarface. " How can _**he**_ be my great-great grandsire?! Appearance or not, _**I**_ am _**nothing**_ like that!"

" That's one mech's opinion," Bumblebee replied with a derogatory buzz.

Quick as a wink Hunter turned on him. " Say that again, 'Bee," she dared him, her voice dropping into a sinister growl. " Say it again, and, Primus-so-help-me, I swear upon the AllSpark I'll rip out what's left of your voicebox!"

An angry shadow passed over the scout's face. He released an enraged buzz and charged her.

Hunter roared and came at him.

There was a deafening clash of metal on metal, and then the two were a squabbling mass of yellow, black, scarlet, and silver rolling about on the floor. The scuffling 'Bots screamed at each other, one in clear Cybertronian, the other in maddened buzzes.

Jack and Miko looked to Raf for a minute in question as to what Bumblebee was saying. Raf only shook his head, having no idea. Hunter screaming in Cybertronian and Raf not being able to understand Bumblebee? That meant only one thing: they were cussing each other out. The looks on the faces of the other Autobots only confirmed it.

Bumblebee slammed Hunter onto her back and pinned her down, his knees on her shoulders. He pulled back his fist and began to wail on her faceplate with all his might. It wasn't long before his knuckles came back coated with the brilliance of blue that was both his and Hunter's energon, and when they did, he stopped hitting her, but he just as quickly took her head between his hands and started bashing it against the concrete.

Hunter gritted her teeth to the point she felt they were shatter. She knew that if she wanted to survive this ordeal she would have to start fighting back, because there was no doubt that Bumblebee was furious enough to kill her before they could pull him off her. _**If**_ they wanted to pull him off her. But freakishly strong as she was compared to the scout, Hunter just couldn't summon up the strength to do it, and 'Bee had her pinned right where there was next to no leverage to use against him. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. Bumblebee was part of the team and had at one time been a good friend of hers, and no matter how nasty he was to her, that was the 'Bee she still saw and believed in. She just didn't have the gall to pummel him into scrap metal. All she could do was lie there as the yellow and black muscle car continued to smash her head into the cement again and again and again. Suddenly there was a sharp crack as 'Bee bashed the femmling's head in one last time. Hunter howled in pain. She could feel the energon pouring out into a slippery, hot pool beneath her helm. She prepared for everything to go black.

That was when Bumblebee was abruptly wrenched off of her and up into the air. Arcee and Bulkhead began to pull him to the far side of the room away from her.

" Come on, 'Bee," Bulkhead grunted, as the scout continued to struggle towards the femmling. " She ain't worth it."

" Let the 'Cons have her," Arcee put in. " Don't go staining your hands with her rotten energon… no matter how badly she deserves it."

Though he was absolutely irate, Bumblebee listened. His chest still heaving in and out with heavy vents, the yellow and black Autobot nodded and voiced a buzz of agreement.

Only half coherent to the conversation, Hunter lay right where 'Bee had left her. Groaning and leaking energon, pain searing through her systems with every beat of her spark, the femmling tried to force her muscle cables and limbs to start working again. Pushing herself through the agony, Hunter rolled onto her side. She paused, letting the dizziness pass, then she proceeded to try and push herself up to her feet. Too much. She was so wobbly that it was useless to put even the slightest of weight on her cables. She hit the floor again, but she wasn't one to give up easily; so, cursing under her breath, she tried to rise once more. Status: futile. Hunter fell back and lay there, accepting defeat.

That's when a warm, strong hand gently grabbed onto her arm and carefully lifted her up. An arm slipped down and wrapped securely around her waist before her own arm was pulled up and over a pair of broad shoulders. " I got'cha," a deep soothing voice murmured into her audio-receptor.

Still dazed, Hunter turned her head to see the comforting face of her mentor. " Optimus?" she questioned, her voice slightly slurred. She groaned as her head throbbed.

Slowly, cautiously, Optimus rose with a steady upward thrust, pulling them both to their feet, and then he stood there, holding onto Hunter as she found her footing. " Easy," he coached her as she swayed back and forth in his grip. " Steady now. Take your time. That's a girl," the Prime praised her once she got her feet under her. He slightly released his grip on her once she was standing firmly on her own, but even then he never let go of the femmling.

Hunter groaned and shook her head to try and rid herself of the little bit of the world that was left spinning. Then her anger came back. She pushed roughly away from the Prime, almost falling back to the floor from the sharp movement as she did. " Let me go!" she ordered. Stumbling away, she hugged herself in a subconscious effort to try and get as far away as possible from the others. " I'm fine." She lifted a hand to wipe away some of the energon streaked across her faceplate and winced at the stinging sensation as her hand touched the laceration Arcee had given her. " Slag it," she mumbled.

" That's what'cha get for being a rebellion leader's brat," Arcee snarled.

" Arcee, enough!" Optimus barked.

Hunter glared at the blue and black 'Bot. " Take it and shove it, 'Cee!" she snapped back. " How'd you like it if I judged _**you**_ for _**your**_ lineage?"

" My ancestors may not have been perfect," the femme replied threateningly, " but at least they didn't sell out Cybertron, like every single one of _**yours**_ did!"

" It was because of _**you **_and _**your**_ ancestors that Cybertron fell!" Ratchet bellowed. " You betrayed us! All of us!"

" I… had… nothing… to do with it!" Hunter roared sticking her face up into the medic's. " I didn't even know Cybertron existed until I was brought here!"

" And that's exactly the point!" Ratchet stated. " Optimus never _**ever **_should have brought you here! Ever since you've come here you've been nothing but trouble, even _**before**_ your transformation! We've all at some point nearly died trying to save you. You're a walking safety hazard, for Primus' sake!" The white and amber medic stabbed a hard, accusing digit in her chest. " You, Hybrid, are nothing but a mistake! That's all you are; that's all you're ever going to be!"

Tears pricked at Hunter's vision, her spark feeling like it had been crushed into a thousand pieces. A mistake… that's just what Fowler had called her… a mistake. Mistake… She was a total mistake. " **NOOOO!**" She broke into a dead sprint, slamming into Ratchet's chest and knocking him to the floor as she did, and ran out of the room. A second later they could hear the sound of screeching tires disappearing into the distance.


	14. Not Alone

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" You're never gonna be alone... from this moment on. If you ever think about letting go... I won't let you fall. You're never gonna be alone. I'll hold you till the hurt is gone..." Nickelback; _Never Gonna be Alone_

12

Ω Not Alone Ω

The sun was just starting to set in the west as Optimus drove through the stark vastness of the Nevada landscape. With the reflection of the pink sky shining on his windshield, the disguised Prime turned off the main road onto a well-worn dirt road that led towards Jasper's pride and joy, Oasis Lake. During the hot, scorching summers that Nevada frequently endured, the natural lake was a popular attraction for many people, both residents of Jasper and visitors to the area alike. It was also where Hunter often went when she was upset. Something about the way the waves lapped at the shore and the calming sound they made soothed her.

A few minutes later, Optimus' big-rig alt. mode was rolling onto the soft, reddish-tan sand of the lakeside, and right ahead of him, seated on one of the giant boulders that the beach was scattered with, was Hunter. With the setting sun emitting brilliant rays off her striking scarlet, black-and-silver armor, the young Hybrid almost seemed to glow. Optimus came to a stop. After double-checking to make sure that they were totally alone—no one watching from somewhere on the beach or coming down the road—the Prime transformed back into his impressive Cybertronian stature. Wordlessly he strode forward, the soft beach sand muffling and quieting his footfalls. He'd covered half the distance between them before Hunter finally spoke.

" Oh well, if it isn't the great and mighty Optimus Prime himself," she grumbled, not even turning around. " What have I done to deserve such an honor as to be graced in the presence of such a magnificent and impressive warrior?" sarcasm was heavy in her voiceprint. Then she glanced over her shoulder to eye him cautiously. " Are you here to tell me how much of a disappointment and a mistake I am again? Or are you just here to turn your back on me too?" the sarcasm had left her voice and there was nothing but bitterness and betrayal.

A sorrowful expression came over the mech's faceplate and he shook his head. He couldn't blame Hunter for showing such resentment towards him. As shameful as it was to admit, it was hard truth that he hadn't exactly done much in the way of defending her today after he'd found out who her ancestor was. Honestly, he was still shaken by the revelation. He continued to stride forward. " Hunter…" he sighed.

" Because if you are, Optimus," Hunter's voice suddenly rose to a raspy bellow and she shifted her position slightly so that she was facing him and so he could clearly see her swelled optics and the tearstains on her cheekplates, " by all means go right ahead and do it!" She spun back around and pulled her knees up to her chest resting her chin on them. " It's not like everybody else hasn't already." A few more tears started to blur her vision.

Having reached her side now, Optimus could only shake his head remorsefully again. Poor Hunter. Nothing could ever go right for her. First she had been run over by a Decepticon, which they now knew to be Bombardier. Then she had been chased down by an entire team of bounty hunters, as well as attacked by other 'Cons on a number of other occasions. Fowler had chewed her out, and not long after that she had suffered from appendicitis, which they had discovered had really been the first part of her transformation. As if all that wasn't bad enough, she had gone through an agonizing and terrifying change as she became a Hybrid. Now she was being treated like she was lower than dirt by people and 'Bots who had once been her friends, had discovered she was actually the great-great granddaughter of a terrible war criminal, and had had the living scrap beaten out of her because of it. " Hunter…" the Prime repeated. He reached down and gently touched her shoulder.

As if he'd touched her with molten slag, Hunter flinched sharply away. " Don't touch me!" she screeched, almost biting his hand off. She glared up at him. " Don't you dare touch me again," she didn't yell, but her voice had dropped into an ominous, guttural growl which was even more frightening.

Optimus eyes grew wide and his optic ridges shot up. He quickly backed away from her, pulling his hands back in order to keep them from being ripped off. It's safe to say that he was more than a little surprised by her demeanor, which seemed to have drastically changed from even what he had previously witnessed at the base. He was a little hurt too. Call him soft, but he had gotten used to just taking Hunter into his arms and cuddling her whenever she was upset, and he had enjoyed it as much as he knew she did. Feeling the warmth and affection of someone that truly needed and wanted him for more than to just be their commander snuggling into his chest had brought a strange sensation of pride, comfort, and an emotion that he couldn't place to his spark. However, if Hunter didn't want to feel his touch, he would respect her wishes. So he just held his hands up, palms facing her, showing her that he had no intentions of fighting. " All right," he stated calmly. " If you do not wish for me to touch you, I will not touch you. But may we, at the very least, converse?"

The anger left Hunter's body, leaving her looking dejected and emotionally beaten. She turned back to the water and allowed her gaze to shift to the waves that were lapping at the edge of the sand several yards down. " What's there to talk about?" she muttered gloomily into her kneecaps. " I already know how much everyone hates me."

Optimus sighed heavily and sat down in the sand next to her boulder. " Hunter, nobody hates you," he said, though he knew they were both aware this was a falsification. " The team… well… they simply do not understand yet, but this does not mean that they abhor you."

" Yeah, easy for you to say," Hunter laughed wryly. But when she turned to look at him, head resting on her knees, tears were brimming in her optics. " They don't treat you like the scum of the universe."

Optimus sighed to himself once more. He hated to admit to the fact of how cruel his soldiers could be, but he knew that Hunter was right. Everyday he saw how the others treated her, how they hurt her in so many more ways than one. Yet Hunter was still a bit wrong. He didn't get off without a few insults aimed his way either. " Not necessarily, little one," he gently corrected her.

" Okay, fine," Hunter conceded with a huff. " So everyone blames you for my joining the team, you get caught in the crossfire, and nobody understands way you still defend me, but it's not the same." The femmling looked away again and rested her chin on her knees, teary optics staring down at the water. Her voice quivered as she added, " It's not like they blame you for what happened to Cybertron. Or hate you because you're different. Or because you're great-great grandsire was a mons…" her voice faltered off and she reached up to her face, gently tracing the wound that was courtesy of Arcee. Thanks to her healing factor it had completely healed up, however, in its place it had left a large, unmistakable, and nasty scar what was never going to go away. She sniffled and pulled her knees even closer. " Maybe Ratchet's right. Maybe _**everyone's**_ right. Maybe I really am just a mistake, and a screw-up, and a coward." A single tear escaped from her eye, slipped down her cheek, and splashed down onto Optimus' hand.

Optimus studied the young Hybrid more closely. Never before had he seen her like this. Yes, he had seen her downhearted and hurt several times… but never to this extent. In the past—including the last month since her transformation—whenever there was some sort of emotional turmoil in her life, like any normal child, Hunter had reacted to it in pain, but even so there had always been a spark of determination, pride, and strength shimmering within her. But now there was no such trace of that spark, nor any of its components. Even if he hadn't shared a spark-link with the child, Optimus would have been able to see that Hunter had hit the end of her rope, and that, slowly, she was losing ground.

As if to prove his point, Hunter broke down. All of a sudden all of the pain and frustration and anger from the past weeks became too much to hold up under anymore. Without warning to the Prime or even herself, the femmling buried her face in her hands and began to release raging sob, after raging sob, after raging sob. She couldn't stop. She didn't want to. All she wanted was to let go of the pain. All she wanted was to cry her optics out. All she wanted was to just… give up.

Optimus' spark immediately broke for her. He absolutely hated to see her cry. To feel her anguish inside his spark… it was enough to make the Prime want to fall to his knees and start screaming and crying for Primus to bring some sort of solace for her. Hunter was only a child—innocent, as far as he was concerned! If nothing else, she was innocent for the fall of Cybertron at the very least. She hadn't even been conceived yet… Primus, her sire's sire__probably hadn't even been conceived yet at the time of the Hybrid rebellion! She deserved none of this. Yet she was receiving it, and despite all of his power and knowledge Optimus had no idea how to stop it. Everything he could think of to help her would only make her situation worse. He couldn't simply come up with rules of treatment towards her that had severe repercussions should they be broken, because that would only make the others' hatred toward Hunter all the greater. Besides, rules always had some sort of loophole. He couldn't charge dismissal from the team to anyone who treated Hunter unjustly, because he needed all 'Bots he could find to rally behind the Autobot cause to win this war. Hunter would never allow him to do such a thing, anyway, even if it were for her benefit. She was too selfless for that. So Optimus did the only thing he could do, and that was the same thing he had done for her grief since the very first day they'd met.

" Oh, my Hunter," he crooned, reaching up and taking her into his benevolent arms, much like father would his own child. " Oh, sweet-spark." Gently placing the weeping femmling in his lap, Optimus cocooned her against his chest. He held her so close in fact, that the only thing you could see of Hunter were the very tips of her antennas and headpiece, just peeking out from beneath the Prime's chin. Optimus didn't try to hush her cries, for they were well deserved. Instead he began to rock her, tenderly cooing to her, as though she were a sparkling only a few orns old. " I'm here, my little one. It's all right."

" I just don't know what to do, Optimus!" Hunter bawled. " No matter what I do, everyone hates me and treats me like crap and I…" she took in a shaky vent. " Optimus, I don't know what I'm supposed to do!"

The Prime stroked her back and held her closer to his spark. " You're doing it, little one. You're doing it. Just let it go."

That was all the invitation Hunter needed. The femmling pressed as close to him as she possibly could, wailing her spark out, digging her face into his chest in an attempt to escape the cruel, merciless world around her, and feel every last bit of the amiable warmth coming from her guardian's spark. In sheer despair, the femmling threw her arms around the Prime and held onto him for dear life, as though he was her very last lifeline—in a way he very well could have been. Hunter never wanted to leave his sheltering arms. She never wanted to let go.

The two Cybertronians sat there holding each other until the sun had sunk well into the west and the stars and moon were shining brightly overhead.

A few more moments passed before Optimus shifted Hunter in order to press his forehead to hers. " Hunter," he whispered softly as he continued to rock her and soothingly stroke her armor, " you realize that the only reason I stated my disappointment in you was due to the fact that I am aware that you know better than to conduct yourself in the same manner as Bulkhead… correct?"

Crying much less now, Hunter looked up into his clement sapphire blue optics and made a small nod of her head. " Y-yes," she sniffled meekly. More tears pricked at her optics and she wrapped her arms around his neck. " But it still hurt, Optimus," she admitted, voice quavering as she timidly nestled her head into his neck crevice. " I felt like… like you were abandoning me." She squeezed her eyes shut as more tears threatened to flow and nuzzled into the cables of his neck.

Optimus patted her back, his lip-plates twitching up into a slight smile due to the ticklish feeling of Hunter's snuggling into his neck. He was surprisingly ticklish for a Prime. " I know, dear one," he replied. " And I am greatly sorry for that, Hunter; for to make you feel in such a way was not in my intentions." Then he put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her away, holding her so that he could see and speak with her, faceplate-to-faceplate. He smiled kindly upon her. " However, hear me when I tell you this." Optimus' gaze became even warmer as he cupped her cheek with a large hand and wiped away the remainder of her tears with his thumb. " My dearest and most cherished Hunter, albeit it may often feel just as though you are…" he leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers once again before purring, "… you… dear spark… are never alone."

Hunter had since stopped crying and was now gazing with wide, awestruck optics up into his. The heat-sensors in her face started to warm up, causing a hot blush to creep across her cheekplates. Her mouth hung open in wonder. Dearest and most cherished? Had those words actually left her commander's mouth? Had her commander actually called her by them? _**Her**_ commander?!

Then again, Optimus wasn't exactly acting like a commander right now, or a mentor, or even just a friend for that matter. He was acting like something more… but what? And what was this feeling growing inside her spark? She knew that it was meant for Optimus, because she felt it almost every time she was with and around him, or when she saw or spoke of him. It was even there when she simply heard his name. It wasn't a crush or a feeling due to physical attraction—though she had to admit that Optimus was an amazing hunk!—for she had felt that before, and this didn't feel the same. No, this was something entirely different. Something on a whole other field. Something… something that she was sure she had felt long ago but had since forgotten the meaning of. And somehow she knew that Optimus could feel the same exact thing for her too, because, just like him, she could feel it in her spark—transmitted through their link. Something told her that he wasn't sure what it was either.

" Really?" Hunter whispered, an emotionally beaten smile crossing her face. She kicked herself, wishing she could have said something better than just "really", because, after what her guardian had said, it was about as lame as could be. But she just didn't have Optimus' knack for saying just the right things at just the right time.

But it was good enough for the Prime. Smiling pleasantly, Optimus closed his eyes and nuzzled her. " Really," he answered her. He chuckled as Hunter began to nuzzle him back, a soft, contented purr rising from her chest. In the time (granted it was a somewhat limited time) he had known her, Optimus had witnessed Hunter in many ways. There was the brash, independent, precocious, fearless, and mech-wrecking spitfire of a Hunter that he had first met, was training, and knew so well. Then there was the cold, distant, angry, and destructive (oft times self-destructive) Hunter that he witnessed as well… sometimes too often for his own liking. There was then, of course, the broken, distraught, and desolate Hunter that, as of late, he had seen so repeatedly. And then there was this Hunter. This warm, snuggly, friendly, affectionate, and sparkling-like Hunter that only appeared around him, and then most often when they were alone.

Only one Hunter Starstreaker James, and yet so many more than just one—in a manner of speaking. Each one so different to the others, but going hand-in-hand to form the one and only Hunter. _**His**_ Hunter. And that's what never ceased to amaze him. How she could go back and forth between each one and still be the Hunter he knew and adored—Optimus would never understand it. But maybe he didn't have to. All that mattered was that he was there for her—caring for her. Impulsively Optimus raised a sly hand and impishly poked her in the mid-plate.

The femmling released a startled yip and jumped, falling backwards out of his lap to the soft, cool sand. "Oof!" Hunter looked up at him, optics wide with surprise. Then she grinned and started laughing, arms flung clear out on her sides. You could hardly tell that only moments before she had been sobbing her optics out, spark completely crushed in pain.

Optimus could only shake his head as he laughed with her, then he closed his eyes and folded his arms behind his head. Leaning his back up against the boulder he sighed happily as the cool night breeze wafted across his armor. He opened his optics again once he felt something leaning up against his chest, and looked down. A smile pulled at his lips. Hunter; she was leaning up against his chest in the exact same way he was leaning up against the boulder and mimicking the same expression on his face. She even duplicated his sigh! Again the mech shook his head. He ruffled her headset in playful affection, causing Hunter to smile once again and open one optic as she looked up at him, giggling mischievously. " You are truly one of a kind, Hunter," Optimus sighed with a grin. " And I still have no idea as to what to do with you."

Hunter only replied with a cheesy grin that was so big it almost seemed to be a grimace, before she rolled over onto her side and leaned back against him. Closing her optics again, the femmling sighed heavily and curled up against his chest. It wasn't more than a minute before she was starting to slip off into dreamland, the steady hum of Optimus' spark-beat lulling her into sweet oblivion.

Suddenly the air became electrified.

Optics snapping wide open, Hunter quickly sat up and looked up to the sky. Optimus, who had also been starting to doze off, awoke with Hunter's stirring. He too sat up and looked to the heavens. There, blazing across the black velvet sky, was a brilliant streak of pearly, bluish-white light.

" Whoa!" Hunter breathed in quiet amazement. " Check it out—a shooting star! I've never seen one before!"

" I have seen many in my time," Optimus stated, nodding in agreement, " but never one quite like this." It was far more beautiful than any falling star or meteor shower he had ever seen. It almost seemed to setting the sky aflame with its fiery blue tail.

" Quick, make a wish," Hunter said. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. For a moment she sat there in silence, optics shut as she made her wish. Then she exhaled and looked back up to the sky.

The star remained for a second more, and then it flashed away. Out of sight forever. A silence fell over the beach for a moment with nothing but the soft lap of the waves to interrupt it as the two Cybertronians watched on while the last remnants of the tail disappeared.

Finally Optimus looked down at Hunter, grinning. " Well?" he prodded. " What is it that you wished for?" He slung a friendly arm over her shoulderplates and pulled her in close, lowering his head to her level in an "it's-okay-you-can-tell-me" gesture.

Hunter chuckled, having not seen her commander in such a mischievous mood for quite some time. But she played along. She looked around suspiciously, glancing over her shoulder as if to make sure that no one was there, eavesdropping. Then she looked back at the Prime, motioning for him to move in closer, which he did. She glanced around one last time before cupping her hand over her mouth. Leaning in and taking a breath, Hunter tried her hardest not to giggle. " Well…" she whispered, her lip-plates tickling his audio-receptor (she could tell because the mech squirmed), "… I wished for…" a smirk tugged up the corners of her mouth and her voice became a soft yell, "… a less nosy mentor!"

Audio-receptors ringing, Optimus fell backwards, holding the sides of his head, groaning. After a moment or two he sat back up and looked down at the femmling who was also lying on the ground, rolling around with laughter. Growling, the Prime crossed his arms over his chassis. His great black shadow loomed down over the Hybrid. " Hunter, I fail to see how that was humorous," he scolded. " At such close proximity you could have irreparably damaged my auditory circuits."

Still giggling, Hunter pushed herself up to her knees and tried to put on a straight face. " I'm sorry, big guy," she snorted, covering her mouth in an attempt to keep from laughing, " but first rule of wish making: if you tell someone your wish, it won't come true. You had to learn the lesson somehow. But I won't ever do it again; promise." She held up her right hand and made an X over her spark chamber. " Cross my spark and hope to die. On my honor, I will not lie." Then she started to snicker again. " You gotta admit though," she smirked, " it was kinda funny, the way you went falling over backward and all."

" Well," Optimus granted with a small smile, " I suppose you are correct. To see a mech of my stature and rank react in such a way would be rather comical and rather irresistible to a little imp such as you." Then his smile turned into a devious grin and a devilish gleam came to his optics. " However, not quite so comical and irresistible as this!" Quicker than lightning, Optimus had snatched up the femmling, pinned her in his lap, and was digging his digits into her sides.

Howling with laughter, Hunter kicked and strained and fought for all she was worth to try and escape, but it was no use. She was trapped! " Optimus!" she squealed. " Optimus, stop! Ha! N-no, Optimus, not there! P-please, anywhere but—ah-ha-ha-ah!—there! **NOOOOOO!**" The young Hybrid's laughter screamed anew as the Prime zeroed in on her poor, unsuspecting, unprotected mid-plate. If she hadn't already cried herself out, tears would have been streaming down her faceplate. She hadn't laughed this hard in… well, forever. If laughter truly was the best medicine, then she was discovering the cure for cancer!

Finally, after an eternity, Hunter managed to flip around in her mech's lap and brace her feet against his chest. Once she had accomplished that, she pushed off with what little strength she had left and propelled herself out of his grip onto the soft sand several feet away. Then she was up on all fours and crouching down. " Rah!" She lunged for him.

Guffawing, Optimus just barely managed to get to his feet and leap out of the way. For a second he wheeled around to see the femmling following after him, and then he was spinning back around and sprinting off down the beach faster than you could say "ready, set, go".

Hunter stayed right on his trail, being fair to him by not using her hyperspeed. The two kept up at this game of "Catch Me If You Can" for quite a while, the femmling lunging and reaching and grabbing and the mech twisting and turning and just barely managing to stay out of range. Both of them were laughing for sheer joy.

At last it happened.

Making one last desperate attempt, Hunter leaped and snagged the Prime, dragging him down to the sand. She roughly nuzzled down into his neck while proceeding to dig her own fingers into his sides and mid-plate, causing the red and blue mech to roar with laughter. Oh yes! Revenge was sweet! " Come on, say it!" she cackled evilly, continuing to tickle him. " Call 'uncle'! Say it!"

" All right!" Optimus puffed. " I yield! I-I yield!"

Abruptly, Hunter ceased the torture. Crossing her arms over her chest and beaming with pride, she sat triumphantly upon his backplate. " I beat you!" she cheered. " What now, Prime!"

Optimus rested his head in a hand and glared over his shoulder at her. He shook his head. " I suppose I should have seen that coming," he sighed.

" Yup!" Hunter chirped blithely. Then she sighed and performed an over-exaggerated stretch before flopping heavily down atop his back and wrapping her arms affectionately around his neck. She rubbed her cheek against his, causing the Prime to chuckle and roll his optics before he began to rub back. The femmling giggled. Yawning, she then closed her optics and snuggled into his backplate.

Another comfortable silence fell over the beach as the two rested.

Suddenly Hunter's beautiful aqua-blues twittered open and she gazed down into the face of the Prime beneath her, who had also closed his optics and was resting his head on his arms. " Optimus?" she questioned softly, sliding off his back to lay in the sand beside him.

" Hmm?" the Prime mumbled, not opening his optics.

" We're pals, right?" She folded her arms beneath her head and propped a leg up on one knee as she watched him.

That time Optimus opened his optics and gazed at her. A gentle smile crossed his face. " Right," he chuckled in agreement.

" And we'll always be together… right?"

Sighing, Optimus pushed himself up and shifted positions so that he was sitting cross-legged. He then patted a knee and held an inviting hand out to her. " Come here, my dear spark."

Without hesitation, Hunter rose, crawled into his lap, and curled up there, nestling her head into the crook of his elbow. She gently purred as he began to stroke her antennas and headset. Her optics drifted shut. If there was such a thing as true happiness and peace in such war torn and hateful times, then it was these moments with Optimus; where she didn't have to worry about being judged or hated. Where she could just be herself and let everything go and forget about all of her hardships… if only for a little while.

Optimus smiled down at her and simply continued to admire her sparkling-like innocence. Then he spoke. " Hunter," he purred, drawing her attention up to him, " I cannot promise that I will always be by your side, but even so, know this. The bond that has been forged between us is deeper and stronger than either of us could ever hope to realize. It does not matter what is in my way, what distance lies between, or even if death separates us. I swear to you, my little one, I will protect you with everything in my power, and I will do whatever it takes to protect you. I do not care what the consequences for me may be."

Hunter said nothing. She couldn't find the words to say… if there were any words to say at all. Once again Optimus had managed to steal her breath away. All she could do was simply lay there in his lap, gazing up into his comfortingly familiar face so full of kindness, gentleness, and sincerity, looking for a flicker of untruthfulness as she always caught herself doing whenever he spoke to her in such a way. Just as always she found none. A small smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as she once again realized just how implicit her trust in him was. Trust…

The femmling's mind traveled back to one of her first nights here in Jasper: the night after her first encounter with Bombardier: the night of her dream. Like an epiphany it hit her. Suddenly, as she lay there in her Prime's lap, his hands of velvet stroking her forehead and mid-plate, the teenager finally realized what her father had meant in her dream. " Trust the Prime…" Hunter said, voice hardly above a whisper.

" Hunter?" Optimus questioned, raising an optic ridge in mystification.

" The night before we met," Hunter explained, " I was having trouble sleeping because I was trying to figure out how a I had managed to survive Bomber's ambush. And when I was finally able to sleep I had the strangest dreams. I foresaw myself, as I am now—a transformed Hybrid—and I saw the rest of the team—except they didn't hate me, ya know. I saw you too; that's why you were so familiar to me when we first met. Looking back, it must have been my foresight. But then everything faded away and I saw a bright light, and it said something to me; I can't remember it now. And then I saw my father—my _**father**_, Optimus. He was only there for a few seconds, but he told me something. He told me, " '_Hunter… you must trust the Prime._'" She smiled and tapped a finger against one of the windshields on the mech's chestplate. " You… He was talking about you, Optimus Prime."

Now it was Optimus' turn to stare at her in complete shock. He had never heard her speak of this before; and now that he thought of it, he too had dreamt that night. Dreamt of a young femmling, whose armor was of the most beautiful of scarlet, and whose optics could pierce straight through him and see into his very spark without even trying. He also remembered that this femmling had turned into a young human girl. And then an old friend and mentor from his past had visited him: Alpha Trion. The old Autobot had spoken to him. " _Optimus Prime_," he had said, "_ have faith in the girl. No matter what happens, you must have faith in the girl_." At the time he hadn't a clue as to what it had all meant, but now he realized that Alpha Trion could only have been referring to Hunter. Even so it was amazing that even before they had ever met, the connection between them had existed and had been strong enough to cause them to have reciprocating dreams.

Taking notice of his quietness, Hunter eyed Optimus carefully. " Is something wrong, big guy?" she ventured the question.

Snapping back to reality, Optimus once again looked at the young Hybrid in his lap and smiled affectionately. He chuckled. " You are not the only one to have possessed a dream that night, little one," he stated, shaking his head. " I, too, had a dream that night. One concerning you." He went on to explain the vision.

At the end of it, Hunter once again stared up at him in sheer amazement. " Wow," she finally breathed. " That is so uncanny it's scary." Then a smirk suddenly tugged up a corner of her mouth and she giggled deviously. " So," she said, " do you have faith in me?"

Optimus returned her mischievous grin. " That depends," he stated, taking her into his arms and holding her so that he could press his forehead to hers. " Do you trust me?"

" I asked you first," Hunter retorted playfully, throwing her arms around his neck. " See, that means I get to change my answer based on yours."

Optimus chuckled and nuzzled her. " If I have said it once, then I have said it one thousand times," he sighed. " You are quite the little deviant, Hunter."

The femmling nuzzled him in return. " Hey," she shrugged, " at least I'm not the Fuser, right?" It was a little joke she used to help herself cope with her troubles. " One life of this is enough."


	15. Shooting Star

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Don't let anybody tell you who you are (Who you are…). It's okay to let go; you're that shooting star (Shooting Star…)…" Everlife; _Find Yourself In You_

13

Ω Shooting Star Ω

The clock on Optimus' radio read one fifteen. As he quietly drove down the road, the Prime couldn't help but smile to himself as he watched his passenger.

Breathing peacefully and restfully, Hunter lay curled up in the cozy embrace of his reclined passenger seat, asleep, her eyelids fluttering as she dreamed. Every so often the fifteen-year-old would mumble incoherently and roll over into a new position. It wouldn't be a minute later she would be snoring ever so softly. Then there would be times when she would nuzzle into the upholstery of his seat, all the while a happy contented smile on her face because she knew who it was holding her.

The Prime cherished every minute of it. Every little movement she made, every little sigh, every nuzzle. It was hard for Optimus to believe just how elated her presence made him feel. Yet somehow she did it; he would never be able to understand how.

It was a quarter to two by the time Optimus pulled off the main highway and rumbled over the cattle-guard that marked the start of the Lennoxes' mile long gravel driveway. Carefully, he crept by the herd of dozing Black Brocle-face heifers that inhabited the wide pasture between the highway and the fenced off ranch yard, and then, rumbling over the second cattle guard, he pulled up and parked in front of the ranch house. Not wishing to rouse the sleeping child just yet, the Prime switched on his holoform. He tried as hard as he could to keep the noise down as he crunched down with holoform cowboy boots onto the gravely dirt outside and closed the driver's side door behind him. His holoform made his way around the front of his big-rig mode to the passenger side. Quietly as he could, he opened the door. For a moment he stood there in proud silence as he gazed down upon the sleeping form of his trainee, the full moon illuminating her hair and face in such a way she seemed to radiate the moonbeams herself. Slowly he reached out and jostled her shoulder. " Hunter," he whispered, leaning down to her ear. " Hunter…" he repeated, a singsong in his voice. He chuckled when the fifteen-year-old responded with a sleepy moan and rolled over, her back to him. " Hunter," he said again, " we're home. Come now; it's time to get you into bed."

But Hunter wouldn't wake up.

Optimus put his fists on his hips and shook his head at her, a smirk on his lips. " You are not going to get up and walk to your room yourself then, am I right?" He was answered only with a soft snore. Rolling his electro-blue eyes the Prime's holoform sighed, " I will take that as a 'yes'. All right then." He rolled Hunter back over so she was facing him, then he turned his back to her and picked her up. Asleep as she was, Hunter responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer. Optimus then shifted Hunter around to his back and grabbed her legs, pulling them up into ninety-degree angles on either side of him so he could support her weight, rather than have it all dangling from his neck down his back.

Thus was Hunter's first piggyback ride from the Prime.

Now Optimus had to think about the task coming soon ahead. Carrying her into the house, up the stairs and into her bedroom would be easy enough; it was the question of what happened after that puzzled him. Hunter was a fairly heavy sleeper, so how was he supposed to get her ready for bed? He would have to rouse her in some way. Perhaps he could put her in the bath and turn a cold shower on her, as he had heard Major Lennox and Epps joking about once when they were sharing boot camp stories with the children at the base. Optimus could feel his holoform face grow hot at the thought of what his other option was. No! He would find a way to wake her up. He would not resort to that, for, as much as he cared for the girl, there were just some things he would rather not see and know about—and he knew Hunter would feel the same way.

It wasn't long before the Prime was entering the household and ascending the stairs, Hunter still sleeping on his shoulder. Reaching the top of the stairs, Optimus continued on down the hall until he came to the last door on the right: Hunter's bedroom. He turned the knob and watched as the door opened, gently creaking on its hinges. Then he stepped into the room. It was the first time Optimus had ever seen Hunter's room, let alone been in it, and it was somehow different than he imagined yet somewhat the same as well.

In the far right corner of the room were an electric piano and an acoustic guitar. To the left of that, underneath the window, was a desk and chair, holding a jar of pens and pencils and a couple of her textbooks for school. Then in the far left corner there was, of course, the bed sitting at an angle so it looked out on all the rest of the room. Beside the bed was a small table, holding another small lamp, an alarm clock, a book Hunter was currently reading, a box of tissues, and a picture frame. At the foot of the bed were two large, plushy beanbag chairs. Beneath them was a zebra striped shag-carpet throw rug. To the left of those things was a medium sized chest of drawers, atop which was perched a stereo system and several stacks of Hunter' favorite and most listened to CDs. Still going to the left there was a set of sliding mirror doors, marking the point of the closet. Along the wall left of the door was a medium-sized bookcase with an assortment of books. Then on the wall right of the door there was an entertainment system with a TV and several sets of shelves and drawers, housing trinkets and more picture frames. On the far right wall was a section of mounted shelves, holding Hunter's model horse collection. A wolf border centered midway up the wall wrapped around the room, and from what Optimus could tell the walls above the border were a light sky blue and below the border was a deep, rich shade of blue that matched his headset. Wolves and blue: Hunter's favorite animal and her favorite color. The wooden floor was smooth, shiny, and rich maple brown in color.

Like any teenager, Hunter's walls were cluttered with posters. There were too many for Optimus to see and recognize at once but as he took an overview he saw a number of different things. There were of course a number of wolf posters and some of other animals, such as horses, dolphins, tigers, etc—it was apparent that Hunter loved animals. Then there were others of her favorite bands, singers, and movies. For example, on one section of the wall, Optimus could see a poster for the band Evanescence, one for Queensrÿche, and another for Linkin' Park. He could see a couple more for the singers Avril Lavigne and Alice Cooper. A few more were posters for movies such as X-Men (this didn't surprise the Prime, for he was well aware of Hunter's crush on Hugh Jackman), Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings.

Apparently Hunter grouped poster together in collages based on what they were of, the bands and movies and such. One poster collage in particular caught his eye. There, on the wall to the right of her bed was a poster assortment of Peter-built semi-trucks. Optimus chuckled to himself, wondering if Hunter had always had a fascination with big-rigs or if it had been he who'd started her little craze. One could never tell with Hunter; she was truly something different.

A sleepy moan from his "backpack" brought the Prime out of his wondering. Sighing, the holoform shifted Hunter around to his front and held her there, unable to keep the smile off his face as the girl rested her head on his chest and nuzzled into the depression at the bottom of his throat. Once again he was amazed at how sparkling-like she could be. He admired her for a second more, then he brushed her hair out of her face in a gentle attempt to wake her. " Hunter," he whispered. " Hunter, wake up. It's time for bed, little one."

Hunter groaned and snuggled her head up under his chin.

" Hunter," Optimus whispered once more. He lightly slapped her cheek.

Slowly, the fifteen-year-old's eyes fluttered open. She blinked and then yawned before looking up at him. " What's up, big guy?" she asked gazing at him with sleepy, half-mast eyes.

For a moment Optimus was silent, captivated by how the light of the moon shone in her eyes in such a way that her deep blue irises seemed to shimmering with a thousand shades of blue. Then he smiled warmly. " It's time you were in bed," he answered, setting her down on the floor.

Hunter wrapped her arms around her guardian's holoform and supported all her weight against him, seemingly to tired to stand on her own two feet. " What…" she broke off into another large yawn, "… what time is it?"

Optimus looked over at the alarm clock by her bed. " A quarter past two," he answered.

Hunter, eyes starting to droop shut again, nodded. " Mm, good thing tomorrow's Saturday then, huh?" she asked, her voice dropping to an almost incoherent, drowsy mumble. Her eyes drifted shut and she nodded into his chest, listening to the familiarly soothing, steady, sparkbeat-like purr that his holoform gave off. " _Thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump_," Hunter was about ready to doze off to it right then and there.

Realizing this, Optimus gently shook her to wake her again. " Oh, no," he chuckled kindly. " You are not falling asleep on me a second time, little one. No, it took me long enough to rouse once. If you are to fall asleep now, it will be upon your berth, not upon my chest."

Hunter smirked at him and giggled. Her grip around him tightened as she pulled herself closer and rubbed her head against his chest. " But your chest is so warm and cozy," she teased. " I like it."

Optimus smiled and shook his head. " As true as that may be," he replied, ruffling her fiery locks, " you've slept on my chest enough for tonight. And I need to be getting back to base to power down myself." He patted the seat of her jeans and pushed her in the direction of her bed. " Now run along, and get changed. I'll tuck you in before I leave."

Hunter rolled her eyes and snorted as she headed towards her dresser to grab a pair of pajamas. She then marched out the door across the hall to the bathroom. " You do realize that I _**am **_fifteen," she stated as she passed him.

Optimus smirked, braced a hand against the door frame to stop her with his arm, leaned down, and looked her square in the eyes. " Does that mean that you do not wish for me to tuck you into bed?" he questioned, raising a sly eyebrow.

Hunter held his gaze for a moment then smiled sheepishly at him. She blushed. " No." She quickly kissed him on the cheekbone, continued across the hall to the bathroom, flipped on the light, and closed the door behind her.

While he waited for her to get ready, Optimus continued to explore the room. He stopped by the entertainment center first and picked up the picture frames, examining the picture inside each one. One was Hunter's school picture, the same one that she had blown up so it was "Autobot-sized", framed, and given to him. Mostly they were pictures of her with her friends. One was a portrait of her with the Lennoxes as they all sat and posed on a quilt.

Optimus told himself it must be a family portrait. He smiled at the thought of how the Lennoxes accepted Hunter as one of their family.

Another was just of her and Annabelle, playing in the six-year-olds little inflatable pool and waterslide set. There was one of her and Sarah standing back-to-back in a Charlie's Angels pose. Another was of her and Will, both standing in a salute. And yet another was of her and Epps. Apparently in that one she must have pulled a prank on him because he had her in a headlock and was noogying her for it. A few held pictures of Hunter with Jack, Miko, and Raf, even some with her and the rest of Team Prime, but Optimus only skimmed over these, because from the way there were laying face down it was obvious that Hunter didn't wish to look at them.

Then he walked over to the bed and slowly lowered himself to sit on it. He ran his hands over the patchwork quilt and picked up Blue, Hunter's stuffed wolf. For a long time he sat there, gazing at the little animal. Then, oddly enough, he found himself talking to it. He had no idea why, but for some reason he just felt that he was… obligated to. Like he had to thank this soft little toy in some way for watching over Hunter all these years when he hadn't been. In all honesty, it felt somewhat natural.

" I can never repay you, my little friend," he sighed as he stroked the softness of the little wolf's fur. He laughed at himself for talking to a toy, but he didn't stop. " I can't explain why, but to know that you are here with her when I cannot be brings a strange sense of comfort to my spark. Somehow I know that she is in capable hands. Or should I say 'paws', for that is what your feet are called, are they not?" He caught himself beginning to wait for an answer.

" She certainly is something," he went on with an awestruck shake of his holoform head. " Something… truly remarkable and special. But of course, I need not tell you that; you have been with her for fifteen years after all. I have been with her for a few months now… and each day she never ceases to amaze me. Is that what she's like for you: our Hunter? You think you know all there is to know about her and her ways and in the blink of an eye she can surprise you." Optimus stroked his chin for a minute, deep in thought. " I never though I would say this, but… I'm grateful to Bombardier and the other 'Cons. If it were not for them… I do not believe I would be here right now." The Prime snorted in an amused way. " To think, when I first decided to begin watching Hunter I viewed it as just another duty; another burden to bear. That feeling quickly vanished after I met her. And yet… I wasn't expecting for it to go as far and as deep as it has. I wasn't expecting to grow so fond of the child… but now… I can't imagine it any other way. I can't imagine my life without her in it. I… don't… wish to."

Suddenly Optimus' eyes were pulled up to the picture on Hunter's nightstand. Slowly he reached for it, grasped it, and brought it closer. It was of him. He was standing atop the base, gazing off into the horizon at the sunset, erect, tall, strong, shining with the last rays of the sun, looking like a king; like the leader he was. Hunter must have been hiding when she snapped this photo, because he could not recall purposefully posing for such a picture. Judging from the angle that the picture was taken from, she had been lying on the ground as well. The Prime read the words at the bottom of the frame: _My Hero_. A wave of extreme humility and warmth swamped over his spark, and lump formed in his throat—Ratchet did too good a job in making these holoforms lifelike. Carefully, with a trembling holoform hand, Optimus traced over the words, letter after letter. " And you mine, Hunter," he whispered as he read them again, and again, and again.

The Prime continued to stare at the words for a while before he finally realized just how long Hunter had been in the bathroom. Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes ago she had gone in and she hadn't yet come out. Raising an eyebrow, the holoform stood, put the picture and the wolf back in their original places and made his way to the bathroom door. He put an ear to it and listened. There was no sound of running water, so she wasn't showering. He knocked. " Hunter?"

No answer came.

" Hunter, is everything all right in there?"

Still no answer.

He reached for the knob and turned, finding it unlocked. He carefully peered inside, and turned away, slapping a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter. After a moment he pushed the door open and stood there, gazing down at the redheaded girl.

Hunter was lying on the floor, fast asleep, dressed in a pair of athletic shorts and a tanktop. Beneath her head as a pillow was the pile of clothes she had previously worn. She apparently hadn't managed to stay awake long enough to take off her shoes, for she was still wearing the knee high black _Converse_ (somehow she'd managed to wrestle her skinny jeans off over the footwear).

Optimus put his hands on his hips, shook his head, and chuckled. Yep, just like he said; Hunter was full of surprises. Sighing, he knelt down and eased her shoes and socks off before cradling her in his arms. " This is not what I had in mind when I said I would tuck you in." The Prime made his way towards her bed, pulled back the covers, and laid her down on her right side: the position she liked best when she slept. Picking up Blue, he gently placed him between the girl's arms, smiling as she pulled the little wolf closer to her chest. He pulled the blankets up around her, making sure they were covering her in the exact way she liked and that one of her feet was sticking out from beneath the covers. Then, despite the fact of how tired and ready for recharge he was, he sat on the edge of the bed.

For the longest time, the Prime's holoform just sat there gazing at her. Watching her as she slept. He couldn't help but think how much of an angel she looked like when she slept—how much that sparkling-like innocence really appeared when she was at rest. Reaching out with a hand Optimus tried to brush her "Superman cowlick"—as Epps had called it—away out of her face, only to have it stubbornly return back to it's spot down the bridge of her nose. As he sat there watching her, the Prime began to realize once again just how much Hunter brought into his life. Along with the joy and happiness and laughter she brought to him, this child also brought pride and completeness and hope. Hope… Earlier in his life there had been many times where he had lost all hope. But not anymore. In her entirety, Hunter brought more hope to him than he knew what to do with. Whenever he saw her or thought upon her, hope would surge through him like a tidal wave… much like it did tonight when he saw that shooting star. Hunter was a shooting star. _**His **_shooting star. His endless abundance of hope.

Optimus gently began to stroke Hunter's face, the tips of his fingers just barely brushing against her skin. A soft smile pulled up the corners of his mouth as the girl—even in her sleep—instinctively turned her face into his hand with a smile on her lips. " Good night, Hunter," the Prime whispered. Slowly, he leaned down and purred into her ear, " Sweet dreams… my shooting star."


	16. At The End

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" I'm waiting… in my cold cell, when the bell begins to chime. Reflecting on my past life… and it doesn't have much time. 'Cuz at 5 o'clock… they take me to the gallows pole. The sands of time for me are running low…" Iron Maiden; _Hallowed Be Thy Name_

14

Ω At the End Ω

_She was standing on a mountaintop. Rain pounded against her; thunder and lightning crashed and sparked around her. The raging wind whipped around her, catching her long fiery locks and taking them with it, streaming them out around her like a blazing fire. Yet she stood erect, tall, undeterred by the elements. Strapped across her back was a sheath of arrows and a golden bow. In front of her, both hands grasping the hilt, she held a flaming sword. She held the sword parallel to her body and stared off into the distance, gazing through the flames that were licking and waving around the blade, waiting for him. " Come and get me," she growled out to the storm._

_ There was a flash of lightning, and suddenly the Decepticon warship was there. Standing up on the deck was the one she was waiting for: Bombardier. He laughed, sneering at her, then, with one graceful leap, he was right beside her. " Waiting long?" he taunted her._

_ " Yep. Didn't your creator ever tell you it's not polite to keep a femme waiting?" she sneered back._

_ " She did," Bombardier answered. " But I see no femme here, do you?"_

_ With that she transformed into her Autobot mode and lunged for him, her fiery sword sparking the air. " Rah!" Her blade met his and they engaged in a lethal dance to the death. _

* * *

" Hunter, wake up!"

" Wha…!" At the scream, the fifteen-year-old jumped a mile high in the air, and landed on the floor with a mighty _**thud!**_ " Ow! Slag it!" Rubbing the back of her head, Hunter sat up and looked up at her bed to find a giggling blond-haired Annabelle kneeling right beside the spot where her head had rested. Giving the little girl her best evil eye, Hunter growled, " Annabelle, what did I say about screaming to wake me up?"

" To not to," Annabelle answered with a snicker. Then she got a serious look on her face. " I didn't want to, Hunter, but you wouldn't wake up the first time, and Mommy told me to come and get you for breakfast. It's your favorite. Pancakes and sausages—yummy!" With her message delivered, the six-year-old leapt off the bed, ran out the door, and disappeared, all the while singing 'yummy', as she skipped off down the hall.

Groaning and still rubbing her head, Hunter stood. " One of these days," she mumbled as she cracked her back, " that kid's gonna make me crack my head open." Suddenly the scent of pancakes and sausage wafted into her nostrils, and her sour mood was gone.

It wasn't minutes before Hunter was dressed and sliding down the banister of the stairs to the kitchen. It was even less time before she was seated at the table, plate loaded with her favorite breakfast, and scarfing it down. She was up for seconds in record time. " This is an amazing breakfast, Sarah," she stated as she sat back down at the table. " Thanks." She picked up the bottle of energon (her own personal condiment for obvious reasons) and poured it over her pancakes before digging in again. The thing about energon, Hunter had come to find, is that it never had the same flavor. Depending on what you ate or drank with it, it changed taste. On pancakes, for example, it tasted very much like maple syrup, but on steak it tasted like steak sauce. When you had it all by itself, it tasted like whatever you were in the mood for.

" You're welcome, Hunter," Sarah laughed happily as she watched her foster daughter polish off her second helping.

" But, just outta curiosity," Hunter added as she swallowed, " what's the occasion?"

" What'd'ya mean, kiddo?" Will muttered through a mouthful of pancake and sausage.

" Will…" Sarah warned him, subtly pointing to Annabelle who was watching her father's every move with fascination.

Will quickly swallowed. " Sorry, hon."

Hunter couldn't help but giggle at the man's submission to his wife. More often than not, it seemed that Sarah was the one who wore the pants in this family rather than Will. " What I mean is this," she went back to her foster father's previous question. " If there's one thing I've learned about this house it's that favorite breakfasts of the people who live here aren't just a random occurrence. There's always a reason to why they're made and served. So what's the reason for my favorite breakfast this time?"

" Can't a woman make her foster daughter's favorite breakfast just because she wants to?" Sarah teased.

" Yes," Hunter answered with a smirk. " But that's not how it usually works in this house. So what's the occasion?"

" Well if you really wanna know, honey," Sarah answered, " it's because we heard about your… string of bad luck yesterday, and we figured this might help to cheer you up."

Hunter became quiet. Her mind went back to the previous day and all of the pain and anger that had been wrapped up in it. Absentmindedly, she reached up and gently stroked the smooth raised skin of her new scar. She could still recall the stinging pain. It was a wonder she hadn't been blinded in that eye. " You…" she cleared her throat and swallowed hard, "… you heard about that?"

" I caught Prime as he was leaving last night," Will explained. " He told me what happened. The evidence is pretty apparent too." He carefully pointed to her scar.

" Yeah," Hunter replied softly. Suddenly she felt a pair of arms wrapping around her waist and someone snuggling into her side. She looked down to find Annabelle hugging her.

The little girl looked up at her with sympathetic blue eyes. " Hunter, I'm sorry everybody's being so mean to you."

Hunter couldn't help but smile. She hugged the child back. " Thanks, Annabelle."

" _**Autobots, transform and roll out!**_" Hunter's cell phone burst into sound.

Letting go of her foster sister, Hunter grinned and slipped the blue covered Tracphone (yes, she'd been downgraded—apparently 'used phone as a weapon to save my life' had not been covered in her smartphone warranty plan) out of her pocket, knowing exactly who it was since she'd had him record the catchphrase especially for his ringtone. " Hey, big guy!" she answered cheerfully. She ignored the knowing looks that Will and Sarah exchanged as well as the giggles coming from Annabelle. So she got a little excited when it came to Optimus—so what? Optimus made her happy and she liked being around him. She hadn't felt that way in a long time about anyone, and it excited her. After all, it was only natural for her to enjoy being with and/or talking to him: he was her friend... sometimes it seemed like her only friend. " What's with the phone call, boss? I thought you were gonna come pick me up on your patrol this morning."

" _**There has been a slight change of plans, Hunter**_," Optimus' voice came back over the phone.

The grin dropped from Hunter's face. Something was wrong; she could feel it with their link—hear it in his voice. His tone wasn't that warm and friendly tone that he used when he spoke to her. It wasn't his serious, reserved, calm Autobot commander tone either, or even his curt, strict, commanding battlefield tone. No, this tone was an odd tone for Optimus; one she had never ever heard him use before. This tone made it sound like he was trying really hard to remain calm and collected—like he was really truly distressed… on-edge… nervous… maybe even afraid.

And that's what scared her. Optimus Prime _**never**_ tried hard to remain calm and collected—he was Mr. Calm and Collected—and he was never ever, _**ever **_distressed or on-edge or nervous or afraid. Especially not afraid. This was the Autobot that had faced centuries of war on Cybertron. This was the Autobot who'd had to abandon his home planet and come live here on Earth, galaxies away from everything he knew and loved. This was the Autobot who had taken on an army of Megatron's undead warriors and hadn't even blinked an eye at it. This was the Autobot that had faced death and disembowelment more than once—heck he'd almost died saving her!—and had laughed in their faces.

Optimus Prime wasn't afraid of anything. He felt fear—she knew this having felt it through their link and heard it in his voice whenever he talked about Megatron and when they had all discovered that Scarface Malice was her great-great grandsire—but during her time with the Prime, Hunter had come to realize that there was a big difference between feeling fear and being afraid. Right now, Optimus was afraid.

" Optimus?" Hunter questioned softly, raising an eyebrow in both suspicion and concern. She knew how she felt when she was afraid, and she hated to think of her guardian feeling like that. " Optimus, you sound edgy." Once again she ignored her foster family as they all gave her looks and whispered questions, asking what was going on. " Big guy, what's wrong? Come on, you can tell me. What's happened?" Unconsciously, she tried sending a calm soothing feeling through their link to try and help put him at ease.

" _**Hunter, I would much rather discuss it with you in person**_," the Prime replied, sounding just as distressed. " _**I do not wish to frighten you**_."

" _Sounds like you're already frightened enough for the both of us_," Hunter thought to herself. " O-okay," the teenager placidly agreed. " We can definitely do that. Are you gonna come pick me up, or do you want me to drive to the base?"

" _**No**_," the mech's answer was practically a shout. " _**No, I am opening the ground-bridge for you. I would rather not have you staying at the ranch for too long, and I do not want you out in the open, alone.**_"

Okay. Optimus was _**really**_ starting to sound freaked out now, and that was _**really **_starting to scare her. Not only was Optimus sounding more terrified than afraid now, he was also withholding information from her. He _**never **_did that! They told each other _**everything**_. Whatever was going on here, it was bad… and it had to do with her.

Hunter gulped. She wasn't exactly sure she wanted to know what was happening. " Okay then," she replied simply. " Whatever you think is best, big guy." She moved to end the call, but Optimus' voice caught her before she could press the button.

" _**And, Hunter**_," Optimus said, voice slow and stern so she wouldn't have a chance of missing what he was telling her, " _**do not transform until you are through the ground-bridge. Do you understand me? Under no circumstances are you to transform until you are within the base.**_"

Hunter's spark skipped a beat and her gut knotted. No transforming? The only reason she could think of for him not wanting her to transform to Autobot mode was because her human form masked her energy signature. Why would Optimus want her to hide her energy signature? She'd have to get the answers later when she was at the base. Right now, she just needed to concentrate on doing what she was told.

" _**Hunter?**_" Optimus' voice came back as a warning.

" Understood," the fifteen-year-old communicated. With that the call was ended. For a moment, Hunter sat there in silence, processing what had just happened in her head, trying to push away the feeling of uneasiness that had settled over her spark like a dark storm cloud. She found she couldn't. Releasing a shaky breath she pushed away from the table and stood. Something bad was going to happen today—she could sense it. What it was, however, she had no idea. Taking a deep breath, the redhead looked up at the concerned and befuddled faces of her foster family. " I know it's my morning to clear the table and stack the dishwasher," she stated, " but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to head for the base. Something's happened."

" What?" Will asked, just as concerned now.

" I don't really know," Hunter shrugged, " but whatever it is, it's got Optimus pretty freaked. I think it's something to do with me."

" Why do you say that, sweetheart?" Sarah questioned, just as worried as her husband.

" The boss 'Bot told me he doesn't want me staying around the ranch, or being out in the open alone for too long. What's more, he wants me to stay in human form until I'm in the base so that my energy signature is dampened. Optimus wouldn't tell me to do that if there wasn't something wrong." Suddenly Hunter heard the boom of the ground-bridge, and she looked out the window to see the greenish vortex spinning outside in the house yard. " I'll see ya later." With that, she turned away from the kitchen and headed for the front door. As soon as she set foot on the covered front porch, the teenager had the uncontrollable urge to carefully double-check all of her surroundings just to make sure there was nothing around that might suddenly ambush her. Once she had declared the coast clear, she bounded across the yard and disappeared through the ground-bridge, the vortex booming closed behind her.

Even though she was now safe inside the walls of the base, Hunter still had the strange uneasy feeling that she was being followed, though she knew she wasn't. Unable to stop herself, she broke into a swift trot as she continued on down the ground-bridge corridor. Actually, she was pretty amazed with herself for not just bursting into a full-bore sprint to the end of the passage where Optimus was waiting. Finally she was out of the hall and standing at her guardian's feet. The bridge boomed out and she quickly transformed into all her Cybertronian glory before looking up at Optimus, who in turn was looking down at her with a very grave expression shadowing his faceplate. " Okay, now spill it," she ordered, her voice soft but still firm. " What's wrong, Optimus? Why are you so freaked out, and why are you keeping secrets from me?"

" Hunter, listen to me," Optimus said, the worry in his voice even more apparent now that she was standing in front of him. " Prior to our conversation Ratchet detected Decepticon activity near the site of a large energon deposit in a very remote region in the state known as Wyoming."

Hunter caught her breath. The Decepticons? They were back? Team Prime hadn't seen hide nor hair of the 'Cons since the day before her big transformation. Everyone had just figured they'd crawled under a rock—Hunter joked it was because they knew Team Prime had more firepower now, with a Hybrid on their side—and though they knew it wouldn't be forever, they were content with getting what time they could to relax a little. Looked like R&R was officially over. Still, as bad as this news was, it wasn't the main concern. Optimus wouldn't be freaking out over the return of the 'Cons; there was something more going on here. " Okay," Hunter granted with a nod. " Both the fact that they're back and they're harvesting energon are bad news, I'll give ya that, but so what?"

" They are not harvesting energon, Hunter," Optimus informed her, shaking his head.

" What?" Hunter was even more confused now. " But you just said…"

" The mine at which they are located has been stripped. Emptied several years ago." Optimus closed his optics and shook his head grimly. His spark, as well as his entire frame, felt exceedingly heavy and he sighed loudly. " They are not searching for energon, little one." Opening his optics, he looked down upon her again. " They are calling for battle."

Okay, that wasn't good news either, but that still wasn't all of it. Hunter was sure there was something more serious yet to come. She had to pry it out of him somehow. Once again she nodded. " Okay, I'll grant that that's bad too," her eyes shifted up to his, holding a stern gaze, " but that still doesn't tell me why you're so freaked out." Impulsively, she reached out and seized one of his massive hands in one of her own. " Optimus, you're my best friend as well as my mentor and commander, and I've always respected your judgement, even if I don't necessarily agree with it—which doesn't happen a lot," she added as the Prime gave her a look. " But if you're thinking you can slip out of this without telling me what's got you so worked into a tizzy, then you are dead wrong." With a digit, she tapped his spark chamber. " Optimus, our link works two ways, and the vibe I'm gettin' from you're end… I've never felt it coming from you before." She reached down with her other hand and grabbed his free hand, clutching it tightly. She squeezed it hard and looked desperately up into his blue optics. " Optimus… you're scaring me."

The concern on the Prime's face only grew more evident. " Hunter," he said, sorrowfully, " I beg your pardon. That was not in my intentions."

" Then stop stalling and tell me what the frag is going on," Hunter's voice was ragged as she pushed the order out through clenched teeth and jaw. She was desperate to know what was wrong, and the suspense was killing her.

Optimus was silent. His facial features became pinched and tight as more woe and worry boiled up inside of him. It almost looked like he was going to burst. Slowly, his head started to shake, and then suddenly he wrenched his hands from her vice-like grip, reached out, and put them on her shoulders.

Raising an optic-ridge and blinking both in confusion and shock, Hunter studied his hands. His grip on her shoulders was crushing! She tried shifting her shoulders to loosen it a bit, but her efforts were in vain, so she accepted it. Looking up, she found Optimus' optics locked on hers. The anxiety and dismay in them almost broke her spark in two. She had _**never**_ seen the Autobot commander in such a state! " Optimus…" she barely whispered his name.

Slowly, the mech leaned down until his face was just inches from hers. He looked deep into her optics. Once again, Hunter felt that he was gazing straight into her spark. " Hunter…" the Prime rasped hesitantly, "… Bombardier is with them."

The wind was knocked right out of her. Bombardier… He was back! Back?! Slag, he'd probably never left; been here the whole time! That's when the realization hit her like a freight train. The 'Cons were calling for battle… Bombardier was still with them. That meant only one thing: they were after her; they wanted _**her**_! Suddenly the femmling's tank rolled. Her hand flew to her mouth as her breakfast threatened to make another appearance and she gagged.

" Scrap!" Optimus quietly exclaimed. Quickly, he led her over to an empty energon crate and pushed her head downward.

Clutching the sides of the crate for dear life, Hunter's knees buckled and she crashed to the floor, noisily coughing and purging up her tank into the bin.

The Prime knelt beside his trainee, gently patting and rubbing her heaving shoulders. He didn't blame her—honestly, he felt queasy about the whole thing himself.

Finally Hunter's tank was empty. Propping her elbows on the edge of the crate she pressed the heels of her hands to her optics and massaged her temples with her fingers, trying to get rid of the sudden migraine. " Oh… Primus!" she coughed. She stayed in that position, breathing deeply, then she uncovered her optics and wiped her mouth. She folded her arms under her chin. " Sorry," she mumbled, a hot blush heating her faceplate.

A small smile twitched up a corner of Optimus' mouth ever so slightly. He shook his head and absentmindedly massaged the space in her shoulders were a large knot of tension was forming. " You have nothing to apologize for, sweet-spark," he assured her. " The news came as quite a shock… to both of us."

Hunter glanced at her mentor out of the corner of her optic. He still looked troubled and grave, and the feeling in their link confirmed it. What's worse, now that the news was out, she was even more worried and concerned than she had been to begin with. Then, she had just been fretting over Optimus. Now, she had to have this awful pit in her stomach too, knowing that whatever move she made today, whatever breath she took, could be her very last.

The 'Cons were back. They wanted her dead.

The saying was right: knowing was half the worry. Is that why Optimus was so worried, because he knew exactly what she did? Or was there something more to it? Hunter had felt Optimus' concern for his team before every time he put them in harm's way, but it had never felt anything like this. Just like the team's hatred for her had gone deeper when they discovered who her great-great grandsire was, Optimus' worry and concern for her safety and well-being seemed to go deeper than it did for the others. Why? Hunter decided not to even analyze it. It was hard enough to understand her own emotions half the time, much less those of a Prime, and thinking about it only made her head ache worse. Besides, she already had enough on her processor as it was… and it was kind of hard to think deeply with Optimus working on her muscle cables (once you've had a Prime shiatsu, you never go back!). " So… the 'Cons still want me, huh," it wasn't a question as it was more a statement. She already knew the answer.

" And no doubt that Starscream as doubled the price on your spark," Optimus agreed with a nod.

" I just don't get it," Hunter whispered to herself. A shiver rippled through her as Optimus pressed a little harder into that achy knot between her shoulders. She leaned into his hands without thinking.

" Hunter?" Optimus questioned.

" The whole thing with Starscream," the Hybrid clarified. " I don't understand it anymore. I get why he sent the Hunters after me before, because he wanted me bumped off before I transformed and discovered my powers, but now… it just doesn't make sense. 'Scream knows that now, if I face Bomber, I have just as much chance as snuffing him as he does snuffing me. He also knows that if I do happen to extinguish Bomber's spark I'll come right after his. So why is he risking it? His fight is lost… so why is he keeping his deal with Bombardier?" Heaving a heavy sigh, Hunter hid her face in her hands, mumbling in Latin, asking herself why she was inquiring questions that couldn't possibly be figured out by anyone other than Starscream himself. Needless to say she never expected her commander to answer her.

" But in the time of despair, a flame of hope will rise. One young female of the Hybrid will be chosen by Primus himself to be the last hope for Cybertron," the Prime recited the passage by spark.

The young Hybrid snapped out of her own thoughts and looked at him, optics wide in disbelief. She knew exactly what he was implying... but that was crazy! That couldn't possibly be the reason Starscream wanted her dead… could it?

Gazing directly into her optics, gaze as somber as ever, Optimus continued reciting, his hands ceasing their massaging as he did. " She will be known as the "Fuser" and she will be a warrior such as none have ever seen. She will be as strong as all thirteen Primes and as wise as Primus himself…" his voice dropped off.

For several minutes the duo just sat there staring at each other. Neither said a word.

Then Hunter broke the silence. " You…" she dropped off, the words catching in her throat. " You think… 'Scream thinks… that I'm the Fuser?"

Optimus said nothing. The only thing he did do was slightly roll his shoulders in such a way that it could almost be taken as a near imperceptible shrug.

" B-b-but that's insane!" Hunter stuttered, lurching to her feet. " I am _**not **_the Fuser!"

" Technically speaking, Hunter," Optimus replied calmly, " we do not know for certain if you are or are not, in fact, the Fuser."

" You don't think _**I **_would know?! You don't think I would have any inkling of knowing if I was the Fuser or not?!"

" I cannot say, little one."

" Okay, well, let's make up a hypothetical situation here. Let's say—hypothetically—that I _**was**_ the Fuser. Wouldn't I be in the know of it? Wouldn't I have some sort of… predetermined knowledge of being the Fuser, or maybe something like… oh, I don't know… a-a-a-a birthmark or something?"

" I cannot say, Hunter," Optimus repeated with yet another shake of his head. " No one knows, except Primus himself."

" Well, _**I **_know!" Hunter insisted, jabbing her thumb in her chest. " I _**know**_ that I can't possibly be the Fuser."

" How?" challenged the mech.

" Well… be-be-because just… just look at me! Look at my past, my lineage. The Fuser is supposed to be someone who people can trust. Someone who's faithful and reliable. Someone who can rise to the challenge of people needing her. I am _**none**_ of that! I never _**have**_ been any of that! And—hello!—did we not just figure out yesterday that my great-great grandsire was the worst and most treacherous Cybertronian ever to roam the universe?! Why would Primus pick someone like me—someone with a scrap ton of baggage—to be the savior of Cybertron? Why wouldn't he pick someone who's worthy of the title? Someone who's not afraid to be needed? Someone who really is trustworthy and faithful and reliable? To me, that makes a lot more sense."

" The reason that seems the most logical is not always the reason that is best, Hunter," the Prime pointed out.

Hunter snorted skeptically and rolled her eyes. She was done with this conversation. " Whatever!" She turned away from him and started for the hallway.

At this point, Optimus stood up. He watched after her, hands on his hips and an optic-ridge raised in confusion. " Where are you going?" he questioned.

Hunter froze in the doorway and turned back to face him. " To the armory," she stated. " Somethin' tells me I'm gonna need more than what I already got to fight the 'Cons." She turned back around and was about to take another step when a hard strong hand clamped onto her arm and spun her back around. Once again the femmling found herself gazing up into the face of her commander.

" Hunter, I never said you were to accompany us into battle," the Prime pointed out, his voice and facial features stern.

Barely believing what her audio-receptors were hearing, Hunter jerked out of his grip. " You are _**not**_ sidelining me from my first real battle with the Decepticons!" she growled, sticking her face in his.

" You are young; inexperienced," Optimus continued, locking onto her optics with his harshest and most serious of gazes. " We do not yet fully know what you are capable of or how much damage you can withstand. And despite your previous history with them, you have not yet encountered half of what the Decepticons are capable of doing. Hunter, you are no longer under the impression that you are a mere human child. The Decepticons know this. They will be ready for you to fight back, and they will not show you mercy in making your death quick and painless. Should they seize the chance to extinguish your spark they will do so with malevolent vengeance." His voice was more concerned than ever before, and behind his strict glare, his eyes were beseeching, begging her to refrain from going into battle.

But Hunter was oblivious to it. " Well then I just won't give them that chance, will I?" she questioned. She turned away and marched off down the hall.

" Hunter!" the large red and blue mech called after her.

" I am not staying behind, Optimus," Hunter called back. She turned back to face him. " If it's me the 'Cons want, then it's sure as heck gonna be me they get. I'm not gonna have them thinking that they chased me off like some whipped pup with my tail between my legs. I'm gonna show those rustbuckets _**exactly **_who they're dealing with. The 'Cons want a chase? Fine. It's time I chase _**them**_ down for a change."

* * *

Sitting on a crate in the far corner of the main room, Hunter examined her weapons. From the armory, she'd picked a set of Cybertronian katanas and a Cybertronian energy bow with a set of arrows. Wordlessly, the femmling extracted one of her razor sets and ran her thumb over the edges of them. Deadly sharp as always. Retracting the claws, she picked up one of the katanas and did the same to its blade, comparing the sharpness to that of her razors. Just as sharp—maybe sharper. She sheathed the katanas across her back, then picked up the large bow. The minute the curved, black shaft was held firmly in her grasp, a narrow beam of silvery-white light hummed out and strung across from one side of the bow to the other. Hunter stood and angled her body. Lifting the bow to its appropriate position, she took hold of the energy beam and pulled it expertly back, where she anchored it at the corner of her mouth. She released it. The beam snapped back to its original position. A small smirk tugged up a corner of the fifteen-year-old's mouth. " I'm ready."

Suddenly Hunter nerves tingled. Without even thinking, she raised her right arm up parallel to her body, her plasma shield on. A large, merciless looking dagger clanged against the shield, sending a ripple through the energy field, before falling to the floor. Hunter wasn't phased by the weapon, and she didn't ask where it came from. She knew.

" One of these days, Hybrid," Arcee's voice came to her audio-receptors, " I'll lodge that dagger right between your optics."

Switching off her shield, Hunter sighed heavily and knelt down. She slid the bow into the quiver with the arrows and clipped the quiver to her back plate before standing again. Turning to the two-wheeler, she said, " I highly doubt that, considering my spider-sense,"—that's what she liked to call her ESP—" but you can believe whatever makes you happy, Arcee."

" What would make me happy is your head on the wall," the blue and black femme snarled.

Hunter snorted and snickered.

" What?" 'Cee demanded.

" Nothin'," Hunter replied with a shrug. " It's just that, has anyone ever told you that you sound exactly like a 'Con when you talk like that?"

At that, Arcee primed one of her guns and started to storm forward, murder in her optics. " Why you little…" she raised the gun and aimed.

At the same moment Hunter reacted by once again switching on her plasma shield, dislodging it from its generator, and winding it up over her shoulder. She was ready to throw it if she had to, and when she did she was aiming it right for Arcee's throat. She'd tested this technique more than once, and she knew good and well that if her shields could chop through three, thick, metal support beams like butter, Arcee's neck would be no different.

The females were just about ready to let loose when suddenly Optimus stepped in the middle. " That's enough you two," he ordered firmly, voice rumbling like thunder as it always did when he made commands. " You've both made your point abundantly clear."

The femmes looked at him, then met each others optics. For a moment, they stood frozen in their positions, almost as if to go through with the fight anyway, but then they both slid back into more relaxed positions. Arcee retracted her gun. Hunter reattached her shield and switched it off. Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee—who had entered the room with Arcee—walked on passed their commander and the young Hybrid towards the ground-bridge.

" Prime can't be your bodyguard forever," 'Cee hissed as she knocked shoulders with the femmling.

Hunter said nothing. Once again she felt the poisonous sting of pain and betrayal boiling up inside her spark. A few tears pricked at her vision, but she quickly blinked them away. Just because she was different why did they have to treat her like this? She released a shaky vent.

A hand gently touched her shoulder. " Hunter?"

The Hybrid looked up into the Prime's face.

" Are you all right, little one?" Optimus asked, his voice and optics showing that he was genuinely concerned. He hated seeing her in such distress.

Hunter shrugged. " 'Bout as good as I can be with everybody hating me and wishing me dead," she answered dryly. She tried to put on a small smile but in the end just couldn't manage it. " Who knows? Maybe they'll get lucky and have their wish come true today."

" Hunter, don't speak like that," Optimus scolded.

" Why not? We both know it's probably true." Hunter sighed heavily and cupped her elbows, holding her arms close to her body. " Besides, maybe Bombardier'd be doin' me a favor snuffin' my spark." Right as she said that something happened.

Hunter's surroundings rapidly started to warp away and she was soaring through the colorful vortex of her foresight. She saw both herself and Bombardier, aboard the top deck of the Nemesis. The air lit up with sparks as their swords met again and again. Hunter drew a sharp breath as she saw her blades meet his once again, and, this time, shatter into a jigsaw puzzle of metal pieces. She could practically feel the wind rush out of her as the bounty hunter rammed his knee up into her stomach and the pain as he slammed the hilt of his sword into her temple, knocking her to the deck. Then she was looking up into his face; staring into his eyes so full of frigidity and cruelty. She watched as the mech raised his sword up, high above his head. The tip gleamed coldly into the sunlight. Bombardier's lipplates moved, but, just as it was in all of her vision, there was no sound. However she didn't need to hear his voice to know what he was saying: " _You're spark is mine_." The sword came down.

" No!" Hunter snapped out of the vision before she could see the end. She didn't really need to see it after all. Anybody could have guessed what was to happen next. Absentmindedly, she lunged forward into her mentor's arms; partly because it was natural instinct to try and get away from the danger she'd just witnessed and partly from of the subconscious feeling of wanting Optimus' protection.

" Hunter?" Optimus questioned, holding her close.

The femmling said nothing. Her frame began to tremble violently against him.

Gently Optimus guided her back and helped her to take a seat back on the crate. He knelt beside her. Holding both of her quivering hands in one of his the red and blue 'Bot gazed up into the face of his young student. She was pale, panting heavily, with coolant already trickling down her faceplate. Her beautiful aqua-blue optics were wide with fear and looked out into the distance. With his free hand he reached up and cupped her cheek.

" Hunter?" he repeated.

That time Hunter met his gaze.

" It was your foresight," her friend concluded, " wasn't it?"

Once again Hunter didn't say anything, but she didn't need to. Her optics spoke clearly enough.

" What did you see?"

Hunter looked away. " My favor," the youngling replied after a minute.

" Hunter…"

" Let's get this show on the road!" Bulkhead called impatiently from across the room.

" He's right," Hunter said with a small nod. " We better get moving." Her eyes came back to Optimus and she stood, wiping the fear away from her faceplate and replacing it with a well-practiced mask of eagerness. " Are we ready to go?"

Optimus simply nodded. He turned to Ratchet and nodded the signal to start the ground-bridge. They all waited as the bridge boomed up, then Optimus turned to all of them. " Autobots," he bellowed, his voice booming like thunder, " transform and roll out!"

'Bee, 'Cee, and Bulk quickly transformed into vehicular mode and disappeared through the vortex.

Hunter was about ready to transform too when one of her hands was grabbed once more. She turned around to find herself looking up into the care-worn face of her commander yet again. " Yes?" she questioned, though she knew what this was about. She tried to ignore the fact that her hand was quivering inside Optimus'.

" Are you certain you wish to do this, little one?" the Prime inquired gently.

Hunter groaned and rolled her optics. " Yes, of course, I'm sure. Now, will you let me go?" She yanked out of his grip, transformed to her Topkick pickup mode, and zoomed off through the ground-bridge.

Optimus stood there, watching after her in silence. The darkest of feelings shadowed his spark like a raging storm cloud. Hunter wasn't sure she wanted this, he knew it. He could sense her terror in his spark. The Prime knew that they both were aware of what was on the other side waiting for her; he knew that they both knew that she probably wouldn't make it out of this alive; he also knew that he wouldn't be able to keep her away from her first battle with the Decepticons either. Just like Hunter had said, it was her turn to hunt the 'Cons down for once. But at what cost?

" Primus be with you, my shooting star." And with that, Optimus transformed and disappeared through the bridge.

* * *

The ground-bridge opened right up into a firefight. With no rocks or trees or any such thing around to hide the ground-bridge and those who exited it, the 'Cons had caught sight of Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee as soon as they had entered the field and went after them. As Hunter and Optimus exited the ground-bridge it boomed closed behind them.

Hunter, still in truck form, went barreling straightforward towards a 'Con that had Bumblebee on the ground. Without decelerating, the femmling transformed to Autobot mode and went flying at the mech. " Hyah!" Her feet slammed into his face and chest, causing him to soar backwards into another Vehicon that was running in their general direction. Making contact with the ground again, the young Hybrid stared off after the two as they took out another 'Con and then another. She then turned and offered her hand to the black and yellow scout who was trying to get up off the ground. " Come on," she said.

'Bee looked up at her. His bright blue optics shifted from her face to her hand and back again. One last look at her outstretched hand and his face became angry. Glaring up at her, he smacked her hand away. " I don't need the help of Hybrid filth like you!" he buzzed angrily. He pushed himself up to his knees.

Hunter growled and mumbled something in Latin that was not very complimentary to the scout as she rolled her optics. " Suit yourself then." With that, she was running off, leaving the scout to deal with a half dozen other Decepticons that were headed in his direction. Pulling out her katanas, she sliced through two more 'Cons that were in her way, then he whipped around and jabbed a set of her own razors up through the head of another. She stood still for a moment, watching as the light in his optics flickered and faded away, then retracted her claws and let him fall to a heap on the ground. That's when she heard it: the announcement of her arrival spreading across the battlefield throughout the enemy ranks.

" She's here!"

" The Hybrid's here!"

" Target the Hybrid!"

" Lord Starscream wants the Hybrid femmling!"

The announcements came in so many different variations and from so many points on the field, that Hunter didn't know who was screaming what and where they were. She did know one thing though: she and Optimus had been right.

" I should've known they came back for you!" Arcee's acidic growl came to her audio-receptors.

Hunter snarled at the other femme as she darted across the field.

" Hunter! Behind you!" the warning came from Optimus.

Right at the same time, the femmling's nerves began to tingle. She knew what that meant. Spinning around she prepared to meet whoever was coming after her, but all she saw as a flash of black and red before a solid foot was planted right in the middle of her chest plate and she went flying backwards. " Oof!" Hunter hit the ground with a mighty _**crash!**_ and skidded to a stop, her body gouging into the Wyoming floor. For a moment she lay there, motionless, her optics squeezed shut. Then, with a groan, her optics twittered open and she started to slowly push herself back up to her feet. The young Hybrid shook her head to clear it before turning to face her aggressor. She stood frozen, optics wide with horror. " Bombardier," she choked out.

" That's right," the massive bounty hunter replied in an eerie singsong voice. He chuckled evilly. " Hey there, tidbit. Miss me?"

Hunter shook off her alarm and pushed her fear down. She swiftly snatched up her bow, loaded it, and pulled it back, aiming for his spark chamber. " Hardly," she snarled. All she had to do was release the beam and he'd be out of her hair forever. That arrow tip had been made to punch through and penetrate sparks, she just needed to let go of the energy beam and let the arrow do what it was designed to do. But try as hard as she could to make herself release the arrow she just couldn't, and believe me, she tried. Oh, how she tried! With every part of her being she tried to let go of the energy beam, but something wouldn't allow her to. It was like some sort of force. The harder she tried to release the string the harder the force pressed on her until her entire hand was locked with a stranglehold around the energy beam. She didn't know what it was, but she absolutely loathed it.

For a minute, Bombardier was quiet as he studied her, the bow, and the arrow aimed for his spark Then he closed his optics, lowered his head, and shook it, laughing patronizingly as he did. " My, my," he purred, looking back up at her, " quite the big, brave girl now, aren't we? You actually had the guts to pull a bow and arrow on me. That wouldn't have happened a couple months ago."

" I was just a human a couple months ago," Hunter retorted, still trying to fight whatever was holding her back from shooting him.

" Still," the bounty hunter insisted, " you've come a long way since then. I must admit, I'm rather impressed. I didn't know you had it in ya." He took a step forward.

Hunter's muscle-cables grew even more taut than they already were. Her mind and every instinct in her body screamed at her, " _Now! Do it now! Shoot him now and end it! What are you waiting for? This is you're chance, you can't miss him!_" but she didn't release. She couldn't. No matter how hard she tried she simply couldn't. What__the pit was holding her back?!

Bombardier's lipplates pulled up into a smirk. He took another step.

That time, whatever had a grip on Hunter forced her to take a step back. " _Shoot already!_" her mind reprimanded her, but she didn't. " Stay back!" she warned him, her voice starting to tremble despite her better judgement—whatever was holding her back was rendering her helpless and that terrified her. " I-I'll shoot!"

Bombardier paused and smirked more disdainfully than ever. He shook his head. " No ya won't," he chuckled.

Coolant dripped down Hunter's forehead and into her optics, stinging them. Her vents started to come shallow and fast. Her hands started to tremble so badly that the arrow started knocking against the bow. Why couldn't she shoot him? He was the enemy—_**her **_enemy; someone who had hunted and tried to kill her! So why couldn't she do the same to him? _**What was holding her back?!**_ " Y-yes I will," she gulped.

The mech's smile only became more condescending. " No ya won't," he repeated. He began to stride smoothly forward again. " Ya can't. No matter how badly ya want to—and somethin' tells you're just aching to—ya can't kill me. And ya wanna know why?" His chest was practically against the arrow tip now and he just kept coming.

Hunter was forced into another step back and then another and another when suddenly the constraint left and she tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground, her weapons falling from her grasp. She gazed up at the mech with fear, half-sitting, half-laying in the dirt.

Bombardier stood over the top of her, grinning evilly down at her. He then lowered himself so that he was on his hands and knees over the top of her, straddling her so that there was no possible way for her to escape his presence. His smirk became even more evil and he lowered his face until it was mere micrometers away from femmling's, and then he purred in a sadistic yet grossly seductive way, " You can't kill me 'cuz ya don't want to, tidbit." Hunter remained silent, unable to say anything, but the look on her faceplate was all the mech needed. " Oh, you may not consciously know it," he went on, backing her even farther down into the ground, " but the truth is, is that deep down inside you absolutely love the thought of me being out there in the world somewhere—alive."

" And just why would I love that?" the femmling hissed back, finally finding some of her voice.

" Because _**I'm**_ the one who makes you look good," the bounty hunter whispered into her audio-receptor. " Ever heard of the sayin', 'You can measure a person by the caliber of the enemies they make'? Well, when it comes to me, tidbit, that's exactly your way of thinkin'. See, without me as an enemy, you're basically worth scrap. Oh, sure, you got the Eradicons and the Vehicons and various other assorted Decepticons for opponents, and, sure, Starscream's a worthy adversary in his own right... but none of 'em can hold a stick to me. None of 'em are as clever or as brutal or as powerful or as…" he dropped off and slowly ran two sharp talons teasingly down her left cheekplate, across her throat, over her chest-plate, and along her mid-plate and waist, until his hand came to a light rest on her groin-plate, "… hands-on as I am." His fingers snagged onto the seam between her groin- and mid- plates and he yanked her hips upward until they were grinding against his. Hunter gasped sharply and he chuckled. The mech lowered his face ever closer to hers until his lipplates just brushed against those of the petrified young Hybrid's. " Ya know, tidbit," he purred in a corrupt and demented way, " we don't hafta make this thing ugly. I can think of a number of things I'd much rather do to a femme when she's on her back—you bein' no exclusion." Once again he chuckled as he heard his captive gulp. " There is a reason they call me 'Bombardier', ya know. I'll bet you're just dyin' to get a piece of me right now."

It was that last remark that sent a jolt of rage and fury through Hunter's systems, all but eliminating her fear. Fire raging in her optics, the femmling slammed her feet up into his mid-plate, propelling him through the air until he crashed to the ground a good fifty yards away. She rolled onto her shoulders and leapt to her feet. " You sick demented pervert!" she screamed. She reeled out one of her grappling cables and hooks and whipped it in the mech's direction. It landed across his faceplate in a good, sound _**thwack!**_

Bombardier trembled in pain for a second, then he looked back at her, holding the spot on his cheekplate where he'd been struck and grinned. " There we go!" he laughed. " That's the tidbit I was lookin' for!"

Angrier than ever, Hunter charged with a battle roar. She leapt into the air, raised a leg high—in fact almost parallel to her body—and came down on top of him. " Hrrrrraaaahhhh!" She swung her leg down with enough force to crack his helm wide open, but Bombardier held his arms up over his head in a defensive barrier. With the rest of the propulsion from the attack, Hunter arched over backwards, smacked a palm to the ground and kicked her other leg out at him. " Ha!"

The mech stumbled back out of the way, just missing getting his faceplate kicked off by inches.

Hunter performed a one-hand-spring to get back on her feet, dropped low, and swept a foot out at his legs. " Hyah!"

Bomber thudded to the ground. He rolled out of the way just as Hunter threw her fist down at his faceplate, punching a deep crevice into the hard-packed earth. He rolled back again as she punched her other fist down at him with the same result. A backwards-somersault carried him out of the way just in the nick of time to keep from being crushed by the blow of her clutched together hands. The bounty hunter rolled up into a crouch, smirking at her. " Why don't we take this thing somewhere a bit more private?" he suggested, pointing skyward.

Fists clenched, chest rising and falling in heavy vents, Hunter cocked an optic ridge and looked up. The Nemesis was above them. When she looked back to her opponent, he was gone, already jumping from ledge to ledge up the side of the cliff to get up to the warship. The femmling snarled and followed after him. She was _**not**_ going to let him get away! Not this time. " Bombardier!" she roared, causing the mech, whom was now standing on the upper deck of the Nemesis, to look down at her. The femmling pulled out one of her katanas, then, with incredible leg power, Hunter thrust herself up into the air, clearing the last two hundred feet it would take to reach the deck by about one hundred feet more, from a standstill, swiping the sword at the mech as she passed. Twisting into a back flip, she landed in a well-practiced, graceful crouch on the opposite side of the flat from Bombardier. She held the katana out in front of her. Along the sharp tip there was the slightest glint of aqua-blue gleaming in the sun.

On the other side of the deck, Bombardier touched an index digit to his cheekplate. He was met with a slight stinging pain. He took his finger away and rubbed the blue brilliance of his energon between his index and thumb. The bounty hunter was amazed, afraid, and angry all at once. Hunter was far more advanced than he'd thought. He had come here, planning on easily snuffing the spark of an undisciplined, rage-driven, sloppy rookie. Now, he saw that that assumption couldn't have been farther from the truth. Yes, Hunter was in all respects a rookie, and yes she was angry and using that anger to drive herself through her battle with him, but she was smart enough to know to not let it get the better of her. What's more, Hunter was very well trained in the art of combat, despite it had only been a month-and-a-half since the beginning of her training. " You've been well taught, tidbit," the mech called across the deck to the femmling. He smirked and chuckled at himself. " But then again, what did I really expect? I mean, after all, you _**are**_ the trainee of a Prime, and Optimus is probably the best one of them that's ever been. Wouldn't you agree?"

Hunter slowly stood up. " In my eyes, yes, but I guess I can't honestly say," she called back from behind her scarlet and black battle-mask.

Bombardier laughed again. " Neither can I, tidbit! Prime's the first of his kind I've ever met too. Yeah, didn't exactly get a good look at any of those that threw us off Cybertron after the rebellion, not even bein' sparked yet and all. Heck, my daddy was just barely sparked at the time."

A tremor went through Hunter's systems and her optics widened in disbelief. 'Those that threw us of Cybertron'? That could only be referring to the Thirteen! And the rebellion? The only rebellion going on at the time of the Thirteen's rule had been… " You-you're a Hybrid?" the femmling gasped.

To answer her question, the mech simply sneered and transformed. He was as massive and intimidating in human form as he was in Cybertronian! He was between six-and-a-half and seven feet with huge muscles that made him seem even bigger and a broad barrel chest that could rival even that of Optimus' holoform. His blood-red eyes shone evilly out from a middle-aged, yet surprisingly handsome face, the cut Hunter had inflicted upon him on his right cheekbone. His attire looked like something out of an old Mafia movie: trousers, a pair of loafers, a black sports-jacket over a red dress shirt, a long black tie, and a black fedora with a red band. Taking off his fedora to reveal a high-and-tight of stark-black hair, the man looked up at the femmling. His leer was just as unnerving as ever. " So ya found out my secret," Bombardier chuckled. " I always knew you were a smart one."

" Smart enough to tune out your bull anyway," snarled Hunter.

" Ouch," Bombardier remarked, transforming back to his Cybertronian form. " That hurt me, tidbit." He tapped a fist against his chest. " That hurt me right here. Right in the ol' spark-chamber."

" Good," the younger Hybrid replied, " it was s'pposed to."

The older Hybrid put his hands on his hips and shook his head; a sneer still plastered to his lipplates. " Ya got spunk, kid," he conceded. " I'll give ya that."

Hunter couldn't help but put on a smirk of her own at that last statement. " Ya know," she said, " comin' from you that's almost a compliment."

" Wasn't s'pposed to be," the mech pointed out.

" I know." In the blink of an eye, Hunter whipped out her katanas and charged him. " Rah!" Lunging towards her opponent, she swung both blades down at the same time. " Uh!" The blades clashed against one another and were held off. Through the sparks that were given off from the scraping between the three blades, Hunter glared. Behind her mask, her lipplates were pulled back in a vicious snarl, and a menacing growl emanated from her vocalizer. Using all the strength she could summon, she pressed hard against Bombardier's sword, willing her own katanas to break through it.

The stout blade of the bounty hunter's wouldn't allow it. With one forceful jerk of his arm, Bombardier pushed all of Hunter's weight back on her and sent the femmling flying backwards. " Maybe you should just try one sword at a time," he patronized. " Ya are pretty new to this after all, tidbit."

Hunter growled. " Take it and shove it! Rah!" She lunged for him again, first swinging one blade at him and then the other, trying to catch him off guard. It didn't work. The mech blocked each attack with grace and ease. With a roar, the young Hybrid swung her katanas at him one last time with as much force as she could muster. " Yah!" The blades met his and shattered simultaneously. Hunter gasped sharply and stumbled back. She looked from the slivers of metal scattered across the deck to the two broken hilts held in her hands. She gulped. " No…" she breathed. Her vision… it was happening!

Without warning a hard, spiked knee was rammed up into her mid-plate. The femmling doubled over. Bombardier cracked the hilt of his sword against her temple. She fell to the deck. Groaning and coughing, arms still wrapped around her midsection, Hunter rolled into the fetal position, trembling with both pain and shock. " Primus, help me," she croaked. A shadow loomed over her, and she turned her head to look up into the face of Bombardier.

Ever sneering, the bounty hunter jammed a foot into her chest and shoved her onto her back. Hunter grimaced. Bombardier leaned down and held her chin between his thumb and index digit. " So strong, yet so helpless," he whispered, rubbing her bottom lipplate with the pad of his thumb. He took his foot out of her chestplate, stood, and raised his sword high in the air. The tip gleamed mercilessly cold in the sunlight. " You're spark is mine. Hah!" Bombardier brought the sword down.

Almost reflexively, Hunter's hands shot up and she caught the blade between her palms. Bombardier applied more force to hilt, willing the sword to skewer her through the spark chamber, but she managed to hold it off. Finally she threw it off to the side. She then rolled into a backward-somersault and got to her feet before the mech had time to find his feet again.

When he came at her again she dodged the blade by ducking low and planted a hard fist into his middle. The mech wrapped an arm around himself. Hunter roundhouse kicked him across the jaw then kicked a leg up parallel to her body once again, catching his wrist with her foot, and thus causing the sword to fly from his grip. The saber flew up in the air for a few feet before falling back down to have its blade lodged deep into the deck.

Now angry, Bombardier spun back around. " Why, you little…" he was cut off as Hunter caught him with a left hook and right cross. The mech was just shaking his head clear when the teenager leaped up into the air, kicked her legs out, planted her feet in his chest plate, and arched back into another back flip before performing a series of well-practiced acrobatics across the floor. He stumbled close to the ledge. Snarling, he glared back towards the femmling, only to see her barreling back in his direction, jumping, and planting yet another solid foot in his chest. With a yell he flew over the side and plummeted.

Chest heaving in and out with heavy vents, Hunter stood at the edge and watched as he free fell towards the earth below. She released a sigh of relief. " There," she panted, optics closing as she backed away from the edge and fell to her knees, her legs rubbery, " it's over." She jinxed herself. Her nerves tingled, she saw a laser headed her way with her foresight, her eyes snapped open, and she just barely managed to scramble to her feet and dive out of the way of said laser. Hitting the deck, she covered her head with her arms as the impact of the laser set off an explosion of shrapnel. That's when the bounty hunter's haunting laugh came to her audio-receptors. Uncovering her head, Hunter looked up with wide eyes of disbelief. No way! Bombardier was hovering a few hundred feet up above her with a jetpack! _**A JETPACK!**_ This dude just didn't die!

" Thought you could get rid of me that easy, tidbit?!" the black and red mech bellowed down at her. " Let me relieve you of that theory right now!" He fired his cannon again.

Hunter pulled out her bow and rolled out of the way of the blast up into a kneeling position. Loading the bow, she pulled back the string, aimed, and let the arrow fly. The arrow soared straight and true. Just as its handler had intended, it hit Bomber flat in the center of the chest… and went straight through him before arching out and falling towards the earth. For a moment Hunter stood there, gob-stopped, until Bombardier flickered and faded away and another Bombardier came soaring out from behind a cloud bank. Then she understood. " Of course, he has a holograph projector," she mumbled, rolling her optics. She smacked her own forehead. " What ever was thinking?!"

Another laser hit the deck only a few feet from her. Cursing under her breath, the girl jumped to her feet and sprinted off across the Nemesis as more cannon fire followed at her heels. " Well, fine, then," she said. " Two can play at that game." She ran until she was in the very middle of the deck and skidded to a stop, then she looked up. " Hey, Bomber!" she shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth so it would carry up to him. " That all you got?! Man, my entire team can shoot better than that, and they couldn't hit the broadside of a barn door!" It was fun belittling the team while belittling her enemy at the same time. She jumped away just as another laser hit the deck at the exact spot she'd been standing in. " **EPIC FAIL!**" the femmling sang out. She was rewarded with another couple shots. These, of course, she dodged with ease before turning back to her opponent one last time. Now came the big one. " I'll bet your creator was dishwasher! And not attractive one at that either, mind you!"

" **WHAT?!**" the mech raged. Releasing a bone-rattling roar, he shot up into the air, looped around, and came roaring back. He retracted his cannon and primed his automatic. " Now you're gonna get it, little girl! _**No one**_ talks about my mama like that!" his voice cracked as he screamed the last sentence. He aimed and let loose.

A hail of laser machine-gun fire rained down around the femmling and kept coming without let up. Force-field shield on, she held it up above her head in an effort to protect herself, but there was too much for it to do any good. She stumbled this way and that to try and get out of it, but she was trapped. Finally, with a hair-raising scream, Hunter sank to her knees.

Even as his opponent fell, Bombardier kept firing and firing and firing. He was absolutely mad with rage. He had to make her pay for what she had said. Only when there was a heavy cloud of dust and smoke billowing out and hiding his target from him, did he stop and retract his gun. He waited. Finally the cloud began to clear and after another moment he found what he was looking for.

There, laying in a crumpled, misshapen, gunfire torn heap in the middle of the deck, was Hunter, sparking wires and circuits protruding out of her lifeless chassis.

Bombardier threw back his head in a chortling evil laugh. " I've done it!" he cried out. " I've done it! After all this watching and waiting and failure that Hybrid glitch was finally slain by my hands! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" All of a sudden Bombardier heard a shrill whistle. Slowly, he turned his head in the direction it came. " No!"

From her perch on one of the menacing looking spires that decorated the warship, Hunter grinned and waved. " Hey, Bomber!" she chirped cheerily. " How'd'ya like _**my **_holograms? Pretty slick, huh?"

The bounty hunter looked back to the dead form of the girl only to see it had disappeared. She must have set the hologram when he was making his wide swoop, then used it to distract him while she got out of the line of fire. Clever girl!

" Yo, Bomber!"

Bombardier looked back in the femmling's direction to see Hunter with one of her cannons primed and aimed in his direction. Before he had time to think she shot out his jetpack. He crashed to the deck.

Hunter watched as he fell and slightly winced as he landed. " _I can't believe I actually made that shot_," she thought to herself. Her aim with her guns still wasn't the best. With that Hunter leaped down and transformed to her human form just before hitting the flat. No doubt Bombardier would be even angrier and more trigger-happy now. Better to give him a small, fast-moving target than a large one, even if she couldn't use her bow and arrows. She was dead on. Well… at least about the part of Bombardier being trigger-happy.

After cursing and fumbling around with his now smoking and burning jetpack, the bounty hunter spun on the teenager. His faceplate was red, his optics were wild, and his very chassis trembled with rage. " You little urchin!" he fumed. " That's it—no more Mr. Nice Guy! You're playin' with the big dogs now!" He primed both his laser cannon and his machine-gun and aimed in her direction. " Die, James!" He fired.

Hunter ducked, dodged, dived, weaved, leaped, spun, and repeated. Being in human form did give her slight advantage, but it also made it just as imperative for her to evade each and every shot that came her way. In Autobot form she would have been able to take several hits and stay on her feet. If she got hit in human form… well… let's just say that they'd literally be scraping bits of her up off the Nemesis. She was doing pretty well, and in all honesty, she probably could have kept it up until he ran out of ammunition, but then it happened.

Upon landing on the upper deck of the Nemesis after performing yet another leap out of the line of fire, Hunter twisted her ankle. It didn't really hurt, but it was enough to throw her off balance. With a yelp, she went down. At the same time her opponent fired, and, whereas it missed her, it still blew up in her face and the concussion of it knocked her unconscious.

Bombardier retracted his guns and transformed to his own human mode. Now he had her! With a sinister sneer, he advanced towards the benumbed child. Seizing her by the back of her shirt, he lifted her up off the deck. She hung limp in his grasp. The mech then waited until the teenager came to before continuing on with her punishment. He wanted her to see what he was doing to her.

Finally Hunter released a moan. Her eyes slowly fluttered open.

That was his cue. With all the strength he could muster—and he had plenty of it—the bounty hunter threw the fifteen-year-old down as hard as he could into the lower deck, then quickly followed after her in a leap.

The redhead hit the deck first, a crater forming around her.

Then came the mech, jumping straight down on top of her, plunging them both straight through the deck and down into the generator room where Bombardier crushed Hunter beneath him into the floor. Starscream was not going to be happy with the damage to his warship, but Bombardier ignored that fact. Once again he reached down and lifted up the moaning and groaning girl, grabbing her by the shoulders this time. " Ya know somethin'?" he asked, holding her close to his face. " I gotta thank you and your Prime for killin' off my team. When I had them I made them do all the dirty work while I just sat back and dealt with the bounty. But now that their gone I get to do a lot more hands on work like I used to before I became part of a team. I forgot what that felt like—I like it! Losin' my team was that best thing that ever happened to me." He grinned evilly at her. " Sadly your 'thank you' card will be in the form of your death." With that he slammed her down into the floor again.

Hunter screamed, pain searing through her body.

Bomber snagged the hair at the top of her head, hoisted her up, and delivered a series of several heavy solid blows to her stomach.

All of the air rushed out of the teenager's lungs. When her aggressor released her she slumped to the floor, arms wrapped around herself, wheezing and gasping. She coughed up energon. A tremor of pain wracked her body and she grimaced. She was going to die up here! Either she had to get off the Nemesis and back down to the earth where she could have backup, or else she had to get backup up here. But Optimus would be the only one who would come to her aid, and something told Hunter that he had his hands full enough as it was. She was in this alone. All of a sudden she was caught by the front of the shirt and lifted back up.

" Aww, what's'a'matta, tidbit?" Bombardier mocked. " Ya givin' up on me already. But the party's just gettin' started!" He threw her back down into the floor with such force that Hunter skidded across it, toppling over more than one pile of energon cubes as she did. She lay there, still. " Pitiful," the bounty hunter said, shaking his head. He marched over to her again.

Hunter was ready. Her eyes snapped open and without warning she swiped a leg out, taking his feet out from under him. " Ha!" The mech hit the floor and she rolled onto her shoulders and leapt to her feet. She wobbled slightly. Pain screamed through her body, but she ignored it; she had to. If she wanted to come out of this alive she'd have to fight whatever injury he dealt out to her. Weakness wasn't an option. " Take it and shove it," the fifteen-year-old snarled.

With a savage growl, Bombardier glared at her. He rolled up into a handstand, settled all his weight and strength down in his arms, pushed up, and launched himself back up onto the top deck. Landing in a crouch, he glowered down at her. Silently, he dared her to come after him.

Hunter took it. Without hesitation she sprung up to met him. Her leap carried her several extra feet above him, and she used that to flip around and get into position so she could plant a foot in his chest. "Hi-yah!" Bombardier leapt back out of the way and her foot smacked into empty deck. She used that propulsion to ricochet herself into a roundhouse kick, extracting her left set of razors at the same time. Just as predicted, her opponent bent over backwards to avoid her sweeping kick, and she brought her razors down across his abdomen. " That one's for Optimus!"

With a howl of pain, the black and red bounty hunter stumbled back and fell to the deck, a hand pressed to his belly. For a second, he lay there on his side, white-hot pain tearing through him, then he slowly pulled his trembling hand away from the wound. It was covered in his energon. His clothes were already soaked with the blue life-fluid, and it was pooling on the deck as well. " Slag it," he groaned. He pressed his hand back to the lacerations, closed his eyes, and concentrated. After a minute or two the veins clotted and he stopped bleeding. With that done he turned his complete and full attention back on the one who had caused him to bleed in the first place. His glare almost seemed as though it was meant to bore holes straight through her.

Hunter glared back at him, chest heaving in and out.

Bombardier released the lowest, most guttural, most savage, most blood curdling growl the teenager had ever heard. He started to push himself up. " You… little… witch! Rrrrah!" Transforming into his robot form, he lunged for her.

At the same moment, Hunter transformed back into her own Cybertronian form. It was a good thing too, for if she had stayed in human form she would have been crushed under her opponent's massive frame.

Metal crashed on metal. Sparks flew as armor grated against armor. Bombardier's leap carried them over the pit into the generator room to the other side of the deck where they came down with a mighty crash. They rolled head over heels three times before Hunter finally broke out of the mech's grip and leapt away. There was barely enough time to get into a ready position when Bombardier found his feet too.

The bounty hunter came at her, fury blazing hotly in his blood red optics. He swung out a fist and planted it into her cheekplate as hard as he possibly could. Then he gouged his needle-like talons into the small of her back. " Piece of tin!" he insulted.

Hunter screamed in pain and rage and extracted both sets of razors. She spun and swung. " Junkyard crap!" she bellowed, slicing them across his face and chestplates.

The mech punched her in the mid-plate. " Arrogant brat!"

The femmling clutched his head in her hands, yanked it down, and brought her knee up to meet it at the same time. The impact caused him to stumble back. " Jerkhole!"

Bombardier came back, grabbed her throat, swung her up, over, and down into the deck again. He held her there, is grip growing stronger and stronger as he tried to strangle her with all his might. " _Mori, canis_!" He bashed her hard against the hull of the ship, making her helm crack against it.

Hunter clawed at his hands as she choked and gasped. " _Irrumabo te_!" The femmling kicked her feet up square into the middle of his chest, jetting him backwards so that he slammed into one of the spires with such force that it broke in half, and crumpled to the deck, unconscious. She released a sigh, then a pained moaned. Tenderly, she rubbed at her throat and then at the back of her head where she'd hit it against the deck. Primus, her head hurt! Suddenly her tank churned. Quickly rolling up on her hands and knees, the young Hybrid spewed onto the deck of the Nemesis. She purged up nothing but oil and a little bit of energon (a result from the times she was struck in the stomach) because she had nothing else inside of her to purge. She'd gotten rid of the rest of it earlier that morning.

Behind her Bombardier came to. His optics twittered open and he moaned as he sat up and rubbed his aching head and sore body. Anger flared up in his eyes again. His head snapping around, he glowered in the direction of the purging femmling. That was it! He'd had enough of this… of _**her**_! It was time to end it. Rising to his feet, he grabbed hold of the broken off piece of spire and hefted it up. He swung it.

Finished purging, Hunter stayed down on all fours. Staring down at the mess in front of her, she panted heavily, heaving out vent after vent and dragging in even more than she pushed out. Her body screamed with pain. Her muscle cables, creaked and trembled with exertion. Coolant poured out of her like a fountain, and the femmling could just about swear steam was rising up off her joints. She was exhausted! All she wanted was for this—all of this!—to be over and soon. She didn't know how much longer she could go on like this. It felt like she couldn't take another step, let alone keep fighting! But she'd have to. She'd have to take another step, as well as numerous others. She'd have to keep fighting. She had to finish this once and for all, to make sure that Bombardier would never go after anyone else ever again. She had to!

Slowly, the teenager pushed herself to her feet. First one foot was planted, then the other. Soon she was standing, drawing herself up to full height. That's when her nerves tingled. Her head snapped around just in time to see a giant chunk rusty grayish-purple metal swinging in her direction before she was smacked in the direction of the prow of the warship, the impact knocking her back into human form. She hit the deck, glanced off it up onto the raised portion of the deck, hit it, ricocheted off again, and then hit it one last time before laying there unconscious and unmoving.

Bombardier threw the spire down and dusted his palms together. He marched in her direction, transforming back to his own human form as he did. As he passed his sword—which was still lodged in the deck—he reached out and touched it. The weapon shrunk down to human size. He seized it and, after a couple tugs, freed it from the ship before continuing on towards the girl. Time to end this once and for all!

Hunter's eyes fluttered open. The world spun around her so that deck became sky and sky became deck. She couldn't tell up from down or left from right. Her stomach rolled again, but with nothing else left to puke up she was only able to dry heave. Suddenly a foot was slammed down in front of her nose. Slowly, her eyes drifted up to meet those of a once more human Bombardier.

" Had enough, tidbit?" he asked sardonically.

Hunter released a pitiful growl that sounded more like a groan. Rising up on her knees, she clenched a fist and swung, but she was so weak and dizzy that she completely missed him (not that her punch would have hurt him much anyway, it was so halfhearted) and fell back on her face. She just couldn't do it anymore.

Bombardier shook his head with a snort. " Pathetic," he scoffed. He reached down, grabbed the back of her collar and marched towards the nose of the ship, towing the teenager along. Reaching the edge he dropped her and gazed down towards the battlefield. " Hmm, looks like your team's winnin'," he said after a moment of observation.

Hunter was too weak to reply.

Then the man shrugged. " Never really expected those lackeys to actually beat you Autobots," he confessed. " Just used 'em as a distraction." His eyes traveled down to the girl. Putting his foot in her shoulder, he rolled her over onto her back, put the tip of his blade beneath her chin, and tilted her head back. " _**You**_ were the true prize. Always have been."

Once again Hunter was unable to reply. It was pointless to anyway. She knew what was coming.

Bombardier released a sigh. Reaching down again, he snagged the front of her shirt and lifted her up to his face. She hung limp in his grip, her feet touching the deck but not supporting her. She was unfortunate putty in his hands. " What's say we break up this little party, huh?"

A single tear trickled down Hunter's cheek. " Why… are you doing this?" she croaked.

At that question, her killer looked at her with a blank stare. For a moment he just held her there, looking straight into those deep blue eyes. Then that sadistic smirk of his came back. The man jerked the teenager into him and broke his grip on her just so that he could wrap his arms around her in a crushing, unbreakable grip. He plastered her body against his: her thighs to his, her hips to his, her belly—which was now bared beneath the tattered remains of her T-shirt—chest, and shoulders to his. Then he took the back of her head in his hand and shoved her face against his.

Hunter released a terrified squeak as he pushed her lips into his. She squeezed her eyes shut and quivered, helpless to stop him. A death kiss. Always a death kiss.

Finally the man broke the kiss. " It's not personal if that's what ya mean," he went back to her question. " Despite how heated our little dispute got, and despite how you killed my team, it's not personal. This business gets awful sloppy and dangerous if you make it personal."

" Then why?" Hunter quivered.

Bombardier shrugged again. " I don't know," he confessed. " I guess I just like the… hmm, what's the word I'm looking for? Oh, yeah," without warning he swung up his sword and stabbed the blade straight through his victim's abdomen.

Hunter gasped sharply. Her body trembled and wracked with excruciating pain. Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, but no sobs came.

The man's smile turned from sadistic to evil. " I guess I just like the sense of power that it gives me." With that he took an energon stained hand and roughly brushed her hair out of her face, leaving an aqua-blue smudge across her face. " Now, I know that this is probably kinda scary for you, bein' so young and all. So if it makes ya feel any better: it's just business, tidbit."

Hunter could only stare at him in agony and sheer horror.

With that said, Bombardier released his sword, shifted his grip, and hoisted her high up above his head. " Goodbye, Hunter." He threw the fifteen-year-old over the side and watched as she plummeted down, down, down to the valley floor far below. He then opened his comm-link. " Bombardier to all receiving Decepticons," he called into it. " Return to the Nemesis. It's done."


	17. Singing Her to Sleep

** Once again I cannot thank all of you who have followed and reviewed and favorited enough. You guys make my day, I really, sincerely mean that. You're all amazing! CYBERTRONIAN HUGS TO EVERYONE! You can pick whichever one you want. That's right, I just sold out the 'Bots and 'Cons. Deal with it, guys!**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

Transformers: The Movie; _Death of Optimus Prime_

15

Ω Singing Her to Sleep Ω

She didn't have time to scream. She didn't even have time to think about it, despite how time seemed to almost freeze and become agonizingly slow as she plummeted to the earth. One moment she was free falling through empty space. The next she was slamming with body-shattering force into a Vehicon, crushing him beneath her, and rebounding off of his mangled vehicular form to the ground. The impact of the blow knocked her back into her robot form, the sword, which was still lodged in her gut, transforming to Cybertronian size with her. And then she lay there motionless, but in the cruel, unmerciful grip of consciousness. There wasn't a part of her chassis that didn't hurt—didn't feel like it wasn't shattered, because the cold truth was that _**everything**_ was shattered.

Hunter was painfully aware to everything in her body. She could feel that her frame and protoform were completely broken. She could feel her energon leaking both outside of her body as it pooled around her on the ground, and inside of her body as she bleed internally. She tried to drag a pained vent in and coughed for her efforts, spewing out a fountain of energon as she did. She quivered and gritted her teeth against the pain. Pain? Pain didn't even _**begin**_ to describe this! This wasn't just pain; this was _**torture**_! This was _**torment**_! This was an absolute living hell! Both tears and energon pooled in her eyes and then cascaded down her face in raging waterfalls, but no audible sob or wail or even a moan came from her. She was simply too mangled—too broken—to cry.

The light flickered in her optics, and her chest rose and fell swiftly in short, shallow vents. She could feel her spark beginning to fade and grow cold. This was it. This was the end. It was all Hunter could do to accept it; to allow herself to let go and become one with the AllSpark. To say goodbye.

" Hunter!" the familiar yell came to her audio-receptors. The ground rumbled and quaked beneath her throbbing body as someone came running to her aid. " Hunter!"  
Slowly, pushing through the agony, the femmling turned her head in the direction of the voice. Her sight fell upon a massive blue and red blur. " O-Opti-tim-m-mus-s-s," she forced out her commander's name. She grimaced. Even that was too much to endure.

In one fluid, gentle motion, the Prime had knelt beside the fallen Hybrid and had taken her into his arms, her head cradled in the crook of his elbow. " Hunter," he whispered, stroking her cheek with the backs of his digits. Slowly he ran his eyes over her body, taking in every injury, every crack, every abrasion, the sword set in her… everything. His gaze came back to her face once she started coughing again. With a tender hand he wiped the energon away from her mouth, all the while trying to ignore the feeling of her frame quivering in absolute, excruciating pain against his. She was so broken. So mangled. She would never heal from this. She was out of time. " Oh, Hunter, no," he said, his voice catching in his throat.

" L-looks li-ike th-th-the oth-th-thers… are gonna g-ge-ge-get wh-what they w-w-want… af-f-f-fter-r… a-all-l-l," Hunter stuttered, gritting her teeth and spraying energon. She started coughing again. " N-n-no," she stated, grabbing the Prime's hand when he attempted to wipe the energon away from her mouth yet again. She placed his hand on the hilt of the sword. " P-pull… it out."

For several long seconds, Optimus stared at the sword, unable to see anything but that one object, unable to think of anything except what Hunter was asking him to do. Finally he shook his head slowly. His optics came to hers. " Hunter, no," he whispered. " You'll leak to dea…"

" I'm d-d-done f-for a-a-anyw-w-way… b-big g-g-guy," the Hybrid interrupted. " W-we… both kn-kn-know th-tha-that." Her hands tightened around his, thus causing his to close in around the sword hilt. " I w-w-want… it o-o-ou-ut. I-i-it hur-ur-urts."

Optimus' eyes went back to the sword again and examined it. The blade had been driven straight through Hunter, skewering her. The hilt was practically shoved against her mid-plate while there was another good three to four yards of the blade sticking out the other side of her. In other words: Hunter looked like a Hybrid kabob. He meet the femmling's gaze again. Once more he shook his head at the request. " Hunter…"

" Optimus…" Hunter cut him off again, "… please."

The Prime gazed deep into her optics, deeper than he had ever gazed before. They were so pained, so beseeching. She was begging for him to take at least one source of her distress away. With her very spark she was pleading with him to make her end come more swiftly than it already was. He owed it to her; Optimus knew it. Since the day they had first met she had given him so much to look forward to and cherish. Not only had she been his responsibility and apprentice, she had been his companion, confidante, and friend, and now he had led her into battle where he had known there wasn't even the slightest chance of her survival. True, Hunter would never have stayed behind even if he had made her, but he had still led her to her death. The very least he could do was to obey her request and help her end her suffering.

Releasing the sword hilt he brought his hand to her face and, with the most gentle of touches, caressed her cheekplate. He studied her face, trying to remember what she had looked like when she wasn't so beaten and bloody and pale and disfigured with pain. He wiped the energon and tears away from her eyes with his thumb. Finally he nodded.

Hunter made a weak nod back, then turned her head and gazed up at the sky. Setting her jaw, she braced herself for what was to come.

Hesitantly, Optimus' hand closed around the sword hilt. For a moment he wavered, not wanting to cause his apprentice more pain—then he remembered Hunter's pleading gaze. He had to. Steeling himself and getting a firm grip on the handle, he drew.

Hunter's broken body contracted. Through clenched teeth, she released a ragged scream of pain. Oh slag, it hurt! But at least it was quick, for in a matter of seconds the Prime had relieved her of the blade and had thrown it as far away as he could, acting as if it burned him. The femmling groaned in some relief and sagged back against her commander's frame and panted heavily. It was getting harder to vent. She opened her optics and met Optimus' gaze. " Th-thank you… O-Optimus," she whispered feebly.

The Prime simply nodded his head.

" H-hold… me… c-c-clo-o-s-s-ser."

Optimus took up the offer, gently pulling her as close to him as was physically possible without hurting her further and then reaching out to her with his spark to hold her even closer. He caressed her faceplate and armor, holding her optics with his. " I'm here, sweet-spark," he whispered soothingly to her, trying to put on a reassuring smile. " I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." Tears pricked at his vision but he quickly managed to blink them away. He released a shaky sigh. " Stay with me, Hunter," he pleaded. " Please, stay with me, my shooting star."

" Optimus…" Hunter wheezed. With every last bit of strength left in her chassis, the fifteen-year-old tried to lift up her hand so that she could touch his face one last time, but in the end she just couldn't do it. Her hand fell back and would have fallen to the ground had Optimus not caught it.

Tenderly, the mech took her hand in his own and raised it to his faceplate, knowing what it was she wanted to do. He pressed her hand to his cheek and held it there for her. More tears came to his eyes and a lump formed in his throat once her felt how cold her palm was and how badly her fingers trembled as they stroked his cheekplate. He closed his eyes and swallowed, turning his face into Hunter's touch. " _Not like this_," he silently prayed. " _Please, Primus, I beg of you not like this. She is still so young with her life ahead of her. I've just found her; please, Primus, don't take her away from me now._" He let go of a trembling vent and opened his optics before meeting hers again. " Hunter…" he choked.

" I-I'm s-s-sor-r-r-ry, big gu-u-u-y," the Hybrid replied. " I… I sh-sh-should've l-l-l-lis-s-stened… t-t-to y-y-you. I should've… st-st-stayed at the b-b-base. I'm… s-s-s-sorry."

" No, Hunter," the Prime told her gently, shaking his head. " You have nothing to apologize for, sweet-spark. I was wrong in trying to keep you from coming. You are a warrior, little one, and this was your fight. You had every right to be here." Once more he stroked her cheek with the tips of his fingers. " I am honored to have served with you, Hunter James."

A small smile creased the femmling's lip-plates but was quickly erased when she started coughing and spewing energon again. When her fit was over she grimaced, then she met her Prime's gaze again and asked him in a voice barely above a whisper, " Optimus… w-will you… s-sing to me?"

The red and blue Autobot smiled and chuckled. " I shall always sing for you, my shooting star." Then he softly began to sing the song that only the two of them shared.

" _**Hush, my little one, no need to weep,**_

_**I am right here, guarding your sleep.**_

_**Close your eyes, sweet-spark, in my arms I will rock…**_

_**You, beautiful sweet-spark, you I will rock.**_

" No need to cry, little one of mine.

_**No need to fear.**_

_**My love will be with you.**_

_**My love will be near.**_

_**I'll be near.**_

" Sleep now, my dear one, all will be well

_**I will protect you, and protect you I shall.**_

_**Slip away, small one, slip off to dream.**_

_**Tomorrow is closer at hand than it seems...**_

_**Than it seems.**_

" No need to cry, little one of mine

_**No need to fear.**_

_**My love will be with you.**_

_**My love will be near.**_

_**I'll be near.**_

" _**Dream peaceful things; dream only of good**_

_**And I will keep out the nightmares, as my love only could.**_

_**Dream of the sun, and of peaceful rains falling**_

_**Rise to the sun's calling.**_

" No need to cry…

_**No need to fear…**_

_**My love will be near…**_

_**I'll… be… near.**_

" I'll always love you, my little one

_**And will do so, till my passing's come.**_

_**I love you more than Cybertron.**_

_**Drift off, my child, drift off and dream.**_

_**Worry not of tomorrow or the dark.**_

_**I will guide you and not leave 'til morning light."**_

Hunter's vents started coming shorter and shallower. The light in her optics flickered in and out as her armor started fading to gray. Through their link Optimus could feel her spark failing and growing cold. The end was near.

The young Hybrid's eyes drifted shut then slowly fluttered back open, the light of her optics so dim now it was hardly even there. One last time she looked up into the sapphire blue eyes of her commander, mentor, guardian, and best friend. Everything started to go dark. " Optimus…" Hunter forced out, "… I…" she never finished. The light in her optics went out and they closed, her head fell back, her body went limp, her armor faded to gunmetal gray, and her hand—the one which Optimus had been holding in his hand to his cheekplate—slipped out of the Prime's grasp and fell to the ground… lifeless.

And just like that, Hunter Starstreaker James… was gone.


	18. Awakening

** Oh. My. Gosh. Looking at my comments and I can't believe that I made people CRY! XDDDDDD To those who were so worried about Hunter's death being the end... well, as you can see this is not the end. :)**

** Oh, yeah, and all be warned, Starscream starts to go creeper in this chapter. *shivers***

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" (Wake me up!) Wake me up inside! (I can't wake up!) Wake me up inside! (Save me!) Call my name and save me from the dark. (Wake me up!) Bid my blood to run! (I can't wake up!) Before I come undone! (Save me!) Save me from the nothing I've become…" Evanescence; _Bring Me To Life_

16

Ω Awakening Ω

Optimus stared down at the now lifeless chassis of a once thriving and beautiful femmling. He could barely believe it. Despite what his optics and spark were telling him, he just simply could not believe it—that or he didn't want to. Hunter was gone. Hunter—_**his**_ Hunter—was really gone… forever... and there was nothing he could do to bring her back. It… it just didn't seem real! Just last night he had been running with her on the beach, pinning her in his lap and tickling her, watching the shooting star with her, cuddling and laughing with her, tucking her into bed. Just a few hours ago she had been so full of life, and now she was just… gone. Hunter was dead… and nothing could bring her back.

" _She is now one with the AllSpark_," Optimus told himself, but this time, the words held no semblance of comfort or peace for him as they usually did. Instead they mocked him; laughed in his face. Why? For one simple reason: it was Hunter, and he had been closer to her than he had been to anyone else in his entire lifecycle. Hunter had known him better than anybody, including Ratchet. Only she could read him like an open book and know when he was happy or upset without him even saying a word. She was the only one who could make him smile and brighten his day, no matter how bad of a mood he was in. She alone knew what he was thinking almost one hundred percent of the time. And only Hunter had ever been able to make him laugh—_**really**_ laugh. Now all those qualities—those rare special qualities that helped to make her who she was—were gone. Wiped from the face of the earth like they weren't important. Like they didn't matter. But they had mattered to Optimus, and now he was going to have to find a way to live without them. Without _**her**_.

The thought brought more tears to the Prime's optics and another lump to his throat. Without her… How could he live without her? How could he live without seeing her smile, or hearing her laugh or her voice, or feeling her touch ever again? How could he ever live without feeling the joy and happiness she brought to him? How could he cope without her in his life? His life… would never be the same again.

Before Optimus could stop it, a sob escaped him and a single tear rolled down his cheekplate, cutting through the bloody hand-print that Hunter had left there. The tear dripped onto Hunter's faceplate. Quickly, Optimus wiped it away, and then found himself stroking the femmling's cheek yet again. It frightened him to feel just how cold she already was. " Hunter…" he whispered her name, hoping with all his spark that she would stir, though he was well aware that such a scenario would never happen again.

Of course Hunter didn't move. Not even a flutter of her optic-shutters. She was truly gone; never to come back… ever again.

Sighing heavily, Optimus cradled her chassis closer to his and lowered his face to hers. Closing his eyes, the Prime pressed his forehead against hers and nuzzled her just as he would if she were alive. He caught himself waiting for her to nuzzle him back. " Be at peace…" he whispered, his voice beginning to break, "… my dear little spark." The mech gently pressed his lips to her forehead in something that was a kiss, but then again wasn't, before pressing his face to hers again. Opening his optics, the red and blue 'Bot looked down into her face, thinking that, even though she was scarred and disfigured almost beyond recognition, she still looked so peaceful and innocent. Just like she did when she was sleeping.

More tears descended down Optimus' faceplate. They cascaded down his cheeks before falling on Hunter's face and running down the sides of her faceplate and dripping into the pool of her energon. " My shooting star…" he choked out the words. She really had been his shooting star, because—just like a shooting star—she had been allowed in his life for a brief time before leaving this world forever.

All of a sudden, the pang of excruciating loss overwhelmed the Prime's spark and became too much to bear. A sob escaped him, then another, and another. It wasn't long before the stoic and seemingly unbreakable Autobot commander was in complete tears, spark-wrenching sobs shaking his entire frame, clutching the shattered chassis of the young Hybrid as tightly and as closely as he could as he wailed helplessly into her chestplate. " No! Hunter! Hunter, no… No! No!"

* * *

The Nemesis

Bombardier limped his painful way down the hall towards the bridge. Despite the wounds he had received, the soreness he felt, there was a haughty, self-pleased smile curving his lipplates. He'd delivered a serious blow to the Autobot cause, because whether the 'Bots wanted to admit it or not—and he was sure they didn't—Hunter James was a big source of firepower for them since her transformation. Or at least she _**would**_ have been. Thanks to him that wasn't the case anymore. " _Unless she really is what 'Screamer thinks she is_," the bounty hunter thought to himself. " _And if that's the case… well I'll just have to kill her until I don't have to anymore._" But that was another matter to worry about later. After all it wouldn't be too long before they found out if Starscream was right about Hunter's true identity or not. Right now, all Bombardier wanted to do was bask the glory of the deed he'd done. Not only had he delivered a blow to the Autobot cause, he'd also crushed the spark and morale of the Prime; he could feel it! Hunter James was dead and they would soon discover what she was or wasn't. The Autobots had lost significant firepower, and Optimus Prime was sparkbroken of the loss of his dear little sweet-spark. Three accomplishments in one day in only a few hours: a new record for him.

" _I might just have to stick with this "solo" stuff_," the mech chuckled inwardly with a sneer. " _It gets a lot more accomplished._" The doors to the bridge hissed open and he staggered on through.

Starscream was posted at the far end of the bridge, looking up at the screens. On the screen was a live feed of Optimus Prime, head lowered, rocking the dull, gray body of Hunter in his arms. " I could kill him right now if I wanted to," the Seeker murmured more to himself than anyone else. " One shot and he'd be out of my way forever. Just look at him sitting there, sobbing over the lost spark of a little femmling. You really are quite pathetic, aren't you, Prime?"

" Then why don't ya quit talkin' to yourself and do it?"

Starscream didn't even flinch. " Because, Bombardier," he growled without even turning around, " that would be too easy. Yes, it would be nice to get rid of Prime right now, without delay, but I want him to suffer before I snuff his spark once and for all. I want him to slowly wither away in pain and sparkache until there is nothing left of him but an empty shell."

" Eh, I suppose it's malicious enough for you," Bombardier remarked with a shrug.

That time Starscream whipped around to face the bounty hunter and snapped, " Oh, and I suppose you're an expert on the subject?!"

" Well, I _**am**_ the only bounty hunter here, and I used to be a torturer so…"

" Oh, really? Well then would you care to explain this? Soundwave!"  
Soundwave, who had been monitoring silently off to the side now pulled up a new recording onto the screens. This one was of Bombardier and Hunter's battle, just seconds before Bomber had delivered the deathblow.

" _**Why… are you doing this?" Hunter rasped, a tear rolling down her cheek. Pain and fear were evident in her brilliant blue eyes.**_

_**For a moment Bombardier stared in silence at her. Then he smirked crushed her against him and forced her into a kiss that she was helpless to stop.**_

_**The girl squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered.**_

Soundwave paused the recording so that the picture of the kiss was frozen on the screens.

Silence fell over the room for a moment as everyone looked up at the picture. Then Starscream finally broke it. " I am in no way adept in the ways of bounty hunters, Bombardier, nor am I able to understand many of the things they sometimes do, but this," he motioned to the frame, " does not look like maliciousness to me."

The black and red mech kept his optics on the frame a moment longer, then met the Seeker's gaze with a smug look. " Not to you maybe," he pointed out, " but believe me, to her it was horrifyin'.

" Really," Starscream huffed, " a kiss?"

" If you understood this kid's history you'd know why. Just look at the look on her face."

Starscream studied the frame yet again—the child did indeed look petrified—then looked back to the mech. " Maybe so," he granted, " but still, why a kiss?"

That time the bounty hunter chuckled and shrugged. " Just my little way of sendin' her off," he explained with a small wave of his hand. Then he shook his head and added, " Besides, can ya really blame me? This girl's quite the looker."

Starscream quietly snarled and looked back up at the frame. For a long minute he was quiet. The hard look on his face softened and he quirked up an optic-ridge as he gave a hum of consideration. Slowly, his optics ran over the image of fifteen-year-old, studying her soft feminine curves that were clearly apparent even as she was smushed against Bomber's body (for some reason this fact made Starscream rather jealous). His red optics lingered hungrily on her bare belly and legs. Autobot affiliated or not, human form or not, this femme was most definitely… alluring. " Yes…" the 'Con agreed slowly after a moment, "… she is rather… entrancing." Without warning, his thoughts drifted to a private place in his mind that he had honestly never truly been to before and he shivered pleasurably. " Oh, my…" he gulped.

Bombardier noticed. " Gettin' a little hot under the collar there, 'Scream?" he taunted.

Starscream snapped out of it. His face became hard as stone as it twisted into a scowl yet again, and his body became rigid once more. Growling, he spun back around and got right into Bomber's face. " It is '_**Lord**_'!" he fumed. " And no, of course not! Can't a mech admit that a femme is attractive without being accused of such things?!"

Bomber backed away and held his hands up in surrender. " Okay, okay, sheesh!" he defused. " I was just jerkin' your wing-flaps." Then he added inwardly to himself, " _Although you getting so touchy on the subject lets me know more than I need to._"

Starscream backed off. " Very well then," he rumbled. Then he turned away again and ordered Soundwave to swap the feed on the screens again. " How much longer until we discover if she truly is the chosen one?" the Seeker asked as the picture of Bombardier and Hunter switched to the live feed coming from below again.

The bounty hunter shrugged. " Beats me," he remarked. " A few minutes? Hours maybe? No one really knows."

" Well, we will simply have to wait and see then, won't we?"

* * *

" My Hunter," Optimus whispered as he continued to rock Hunter's lifeless body in his arms. " My little Hunter." He'd since finished much of his weeping—only a few tears ran in broken streams down his faceplate and were coming to a slow stop. However, the pain in his spark had not lessened in the least bit. He didn't think it ever would.

" Optimus," Arcee's voice came to the Prime's audio-receptors.

The red and blue 'Bot stopped swaying Hunter and became quiet. A cold, hard feeling came over his spark, and his tears stopped all together. Slowly, he turned to look over his shoulder, an angry glare shadowing his face.

Acree, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee all stood there behind him, gazing at the crushed chassis in his arms in disbelief and shock. That cold, broken, lifeless… thing... couldn't really be Hunter could it? It was almost too impossible to believe. Only a little while ago she had been racing around the battlefield, scrapping 'Cons. How could this be her now?

" Optimus…" Arcee stuttered again, "… is that Hunter? I-I mean is she really…"

" Extinguished?" Bulkhead finished for her.

Optimus didn't say anything. He simply stared at them with that spark-chilling glare for several long minutes, then he gradually rose to his feet—Hunter still safeguarded in his arms at his chest. Tediously, he opened his comm-link, refusing to look at the others as he did so. " Ratchet, open the ground-bridge," he ordered, his voice slow and guarded. He closed the link and swallowed hard, trying to rid himself of another lump in his throat. Finally the ground-bridge appeared and he marched passed the others towards it. Suddenly he stopped. " You need not worry yourselves of Hunter any longer," he rumbled darkly. He glanced over his shoulder at the team and added, " Congratulations." And with that last chilling statement, their commander disappeared through the vortex.

* * *

Jack, Miko, and Raf all sat on the couch of their living area of the catwalk. They all stared at the TV, watching closely as the two cars on it raced.

" Come on, Raf!" Jack cheered on the younger boy who was controlling the red car on the screen. " You can do it! Come on, beat Miko! End her reign!"

" Ha, right!" Miko snorted, rolling her eyes, a triumphant grin on her lips. " I'm, like, so sure."

Raf glanced up at the Japanese girl out of the corner of his eye. A smirk tugged up a corner of his mouth. He turned his attention back to the TV. After a minute or two he pressed a series of buttons on his controller in a sequence that 'Bee had taught him. In response the red car on the screen turned, slammed it's nose into the tail of Miko's yellow racer, thus knocking her off the track and causing her to crash, spun back around, straightened out, and zipped across the finish line as 'WINNER!' flashed across the screen.

" All right! Yes!" Jack cheered as Raf laughed happily, pumping his fists in the air. They high fived.

A defeated Miko growled on in annoyance. " This game is rigged!" she fumed, standing and throwing down the video-game controller she held.

" Aw, come on, Miko," Jack laughed, " don't be a sore loser. All streaks have to come to an end. Even the Roman Empire fell. Granted they didn't fall to a twelve-year-old…"

Miko snarled and was about to snap back at him when Optimus' voice came in over the frequency.

/ _**Ratchet, open the ground-bridge**__**,**_**/**the Prime's voice sounded extremely grim and heavyhearted.

All three kids exchanged glances and shrugged.

" Right away, Optimus," Ratchet replied. He pulled the switch to the ground-bridge and turned towards the vortex, waiting to see what repairs he was going to have to make this time. A minute later he saw Optimus appear through the bridge, carrying something in his arm. He squinted and stepped forward to take a closer look at the object. " What in the name of…" his voice dropped off as he gasped, a look of utter disbelief coming over his faceplate. " By the AllSpark, it can't be!"

The kids ran to the end of the catwalk for a closer look as well. Soon they too were in complete shock as the realized not what, but _**who**_ Optimus was carrying.

Miko's hands flew to her mouth.

Raf took several steps away from the edge, shaking his head in unbelief.

Jack just stood there, motionless, staring in horror at the gray lifeless body in the Prime's arms. " Hunter…" he breathed, "… no."

Streaked and stained with Hunter's energon, Optimus paused at the end of the tunnel. For a moment he simply stood there, taking all of them into his gaze, watching their expressions. To his grim surprise no one on the team seemed to be happy about Hunter's demise when they had practically wished for her death in her life. He didn't know if that made him happy or angry. The only thing he was sure of right now was the tormenting feeling of emptiness and loss in his spark. " She has… become one with the AllSpark," he stated dryly as yet another lump jumped into his throat. " She will suffer no longer." With that, he stepped out in direction of Ratchet's lab. He had one foot through the door when Jack came racing up to the end of the walk.

" Optimus!" the boy called out. " Optimus, I'm so sorry. I know how much you cared about her and…" he stopped talking when something strange caught his eye. Jack could barely believe what he was seeing. Were those… tearstains on Optimus' faceplate? Actual tearstains?

Optimus looked at the teenager out of the corner of his optic. He knew what Jack was staring at but he simply didn't care enough to try and hide it. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. " Yes," the Prime replied quietly to the sixteen-year-old's statement. " I cared for Hunter a great deal." Then he turned his head and looked Jack straight in the eyes with a cold stare. " But what does it matter to you? What did _**she**_ matter to you?" his voice became harsh and rigid. Then he turned away, proceeded into the lab, and slammed the door shut.

Jack sighed heavily and hung his head, knowing exactly what the Prime had meant.

Inside the lab, Optimus carefully laid Hunter down on the medical berth then turned away to grab a soft terry cloth towel. He dampened it and came back to the berth. Sitting down beside the femmling he began to clean her face, washing away the energon, coolant, and grime. He worked gently, tenderly, his thoughts drifting. It wasn't so long ago when he had been standing in this very room watching on as Hunter suffered through her transformation into a Hybrid. He could still hear her screams, still recall her thrashing and writhing in pain on this very berth. Despite how much pain she had been in and how terrifying the ordeal had been, he still wished she were doing that now. At least she'd be alive. Releasing a shaky sigh, the Prime set the cloth off to the side and caressed Hunter's peaceful faceplate with all the tenderness and affection in the world. " You left too soon, my shooting star," he whispered, more tears that were quickly blinked away pricking at his optics. " You had your whole life ahead of you."

Without warning, the lab door flew open and everyone came into the room. They all froze once they saw Hunter, acting as if it was the first time any of them had seen her lifeless chassis, when in fact they had all just seen it only moments before. But then again maybe it was different. After all, the light in the lab did reveal some new wounds that even Optimus hadn't seen before he brought her in here.

The Prime stood, looking at them, his optics flicking back to Hunter every now and again.

It was several minutes before Arcee finally broke the quiet. " I just can't believe she's actually… gone," she whispered.

" Optimus," Bulkhead murmured, looking at their commander, " we are so sorry."

" Why?" Optimus demanded dryly, shrugging and folding his arms over his chest. " This is what you all wanted, is it not?"

" No," Ratchet answered in complete shock. " Of course not. None of us ever wished Hunter dead."

" Well she certainly seemed to think you did," Optimus rumbled harshly. " And quite frankly I cannot say that I blame her, for it certainly seemed to me that you wished her dead with the way you treated her."

" But Optimus," Arcee interjected, " Hunter is… well… she was a Hybrid."

" That is no excuse!" Optimus bellowed, his voice seeming to quake the entire base. " She was a child! Innocent for what happened to Cybertron and the damage her ancestors inflicted. Now, I'm willing to believe that you didn't treat her such as you did because you blamed her for what her forebears did. But if that is not the reason then what is? Why did you treat her with such malice and hostility?! Simply because she was different? If that is your answer then perhaps you should join Decepticon ranks, because you are as bad as they are. I will agree that Hunter did have a difficult past and that she made mistakes, but she didn't deserve the treatment she received—especially not for simply being different. Hybrid or not, Hunter was one of us." The Prime turned to look down upon the deceased femmling once more. " She didn't deserve to join the AllSpark this way—believing she was wanted dead by those whom she cared for." He reached down and caressed her face one last time. " She deserved far better than this."

And that's when the unexplainable happened.

All of a sudden Hunter's optics snapped wide open and she thrust herself upward with a sharp gasp.

* * *

_ Hunter__was somewhere between space and time—stars wheeled overhead and she flew towards a bright warm light. With her spark she could hear voices calling. Within the light there were the silhouettes of the people who were calling to her. The first voice was a man's: deep, soothing, and familiar to her, even though she hadn't heard it for half her life. The second was a female's: light, airy, loving, and even though she had never heard it before, somewhere in the back of her mind Hunter was sure she knew it. " Mom," the girl called back, " Dad." Her parents... both of them... together. _

_With all her spark, she longed to go to them; to go home. She wanted to feel more of the warmth and happiness that she was experiencing. She wanted to always know that those she cared for—Optimus, Jack, Miko, Raf, Epps, the Lennoxes, the team, even Agent Fowler—were all safe and well, like she knew now. She wanted to leave that other world behind and finally be at peace. But something held her back. _

" _Come, Hunter," her mother called again, reaching out with a hand. " Come to us."_

" _Come home, sweetest of sparks," her father beckoned, also reaching out. " You've earned your rest."_

_Slowly, Hunter reached out to take their hands, but right as she was about to take them, she stopped. A feeling of grief came over her and she pulled her hands away. " No," she said, hanging her head. " I-I can't." It wasn't her time yet, and she knew it. " I'm sorry, but I have too much left to do."_

" _We understand, beloved," her mother responded calmly, almost happily._

" _One day you will be ready," her father stated the sound of a smile in his voice as well. " And when you are, we will be right here waiting for you. But for now your place is on earth with your friends—with Optimus Prime. Go and know that you always have our love." _

_Suddenly her parents were gone and Hunter was no longer staring into the soft, warm light, but a sharp, blinding, whitish-blue one. _

" _You have passed the test of the pure-of-spark," a thunderous voice roared from within the light. " You have proven yourself worthy of possessing my gift. From this moment on you will be known as the Flame of Hope, and you alone have the power to destroy the severed bonds. _

" _Fair warning, child: the path on which you travel now will be a difficult one. Travel it alone and you will fail. However, should you surround yourself with those whom you love, and keep a loving spark in turn, even the greatest of challenges you shall overcome. Love, and trust those you love. Trust the Prime, Hunter, and trust your spark. Do these things, and you will fulfill your destiny: you will restore Cybertron. Go now, and use that which has been bestowed upon you." In a flash the light vanished._

_Hunter was left alone, floating in the cold blackness of space, then suddenly she was falling; plummeting through a vortex of warping lights and stars. She looked down and saw earth, a brilliant blue and green orb with patches of white. And then she saw her body; a lifeless, gray, and utterly shattered husk as it lay upon the berth. It came closer and closer until…_

* * *

Hunter opened her optics and quickly sat up gasping for air. She didn't need it to breathe, but she wanted it all the same.

Everyone—Optimus included—gasped or cried out and backed away from the femmling. They all watched as the color began to fade back into her chassis and the worst of her wounds began to heal. What in the AllSpark was going on here?

Venting heavily, Hunter's optic-shutters drooped to half-mast. Slowly, she sank back to the berth. What had happened? The last thing she remembered was Optimus singing to her and then… nothing. Well, not necessarily nothing, but definite blurriness. She could recall warmth, love, a state of peace, voices, and then… here. Where was here? Where was she? A sudden panic gripped onto the fifteen-year-old. Her fight with Bombardier! She'd lost! Is that where she was—in the Decepticon warship on some lab table where they were going to perform some sort of weird deranged experiments on her? No wait—she remembered now. Bombardier had stabbed her then thrown her off the deck of the Nemesis. She'd died. Dead? Then why was she alive now? Only explanation: she must have been sent back. But then that left her with 'why'? And how long had she been off-line? Days? Months? Years? Maybe it had been only a few minutes. Primus, her head hurt! All of these questions and wonderings didn't help it in the least bit. Lifting heavy hands, Hunter held them to her head and sucked in a sharp vent through her teeth. " Ohhhh!" she moaned pitifully.

" Hunter?" a familiar voice came to her audio-receptors.

Gradually, the femmling opened her eyes and looked up to see the astonished face of her mentor. " Optimus?" murmured the Hybrid. She began to sit up. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through her and she grabbed at her abdomen, groaning and gritting against the agony. It almost took her back to the berth, but Optimus caught her and gently helped her to sit up, keeping an arm around her just in case. For a moment, Hunter continued to clutch at her mid-plate and shiver with the pain. When it passed, she sighed in relief and looked down to see a brutally grotesque stab-wound in the center of her stomach quickly healing and closing up with her healing factor. Surprisingly, it didn't make her feel anything but more confusion. The teenager looked up at her commander. " Optimus?"

The Prime—knowing what she was asking—shook his head and opened his mouth to respond when he was cut off by Ratchet.

" H-how can this possibly be?" the old 'Bot stammered. " Hunter, you're… you're _**alive**_!"

Anger immediately took over the femmling's systems. " Suppose I am," Hunter snarled back.

" But that's impossible!" Bumblebee exclaimed. " You were dead!"

" Sorry to disappoint," the femmling spat.

" This doesn't make any sense," Bulkhead said. " You fell from the deck of the Nemesis; we all saw you!"

" And you're lifeless chassis besides that," Arcee put in.

" Maybe she's another one of those zombiecons!" Miko blurted out.

" The Terrorcons were _**reanimated**_, Miko," Jack explained. " There's a difference between being reanimated and being alive. Hunter's alive. Besides how could she be a Terrorcon? Megatron's gone."

" Along with the dark energon," Raf added.

" Ah-ha!" Miko exclaimed. " Maybe that's just what he wants you to think!"

" Miko, I am _**not**_ a zombiecon or a Terrorcon or... whatever the heck you call those things!" Hunter snapped.

" Then how did you come back to life?" Arcee demanded. " The only thing that can bring a dead Cybertronian back to some form of life is dark energon, and that's it."

" No," Optimus, who had been quietly thinking over how this could have happened, now suddenly broke into the conversation. " There is only one other way that we know of that would explain this situation."

All eyes and optics turned on the Prime as they waited for the answer.

Hunter gazed up at Optimus with wide and horrified optics, and the Prime in turn gazed down upon her with all the sincerity in the world. They both knew what the other was thinking. Slowly, Hunter shook her head.

That's when Ratchet caught on. He gasped. " Optimus… you don't mean…?" he stopped, unable to finish it.

" I do, Ratchet," the Prime replied, not looking away from Hunter.

" You mean what?" Miko questioned unable to stand the suspense any longer.

Still holding Hunter's gaze, by way of answer, Optimus began to recite the prophecy. " And when Unicron the Chaos Bringer has been cast out of Cybertron, Primus will give the Thirteen power to create a new race before he becomes the heart of planet. The Thirteen will use this power to create the Hybrid, a powerful, intelligent race of half alien and half Cybertronian blood. And because of their power, the Hybrid will serve under the Primes and will be given the task of protecting the universe against evil.

" But a day will come when the Hybrid will grow tired of following the orders of the Primes. As a result, they will allow evil to enter the universe. For their treachery they will be cast out. And as surely as they are sent to the stars, evil will befall Cybertron, and war will consume it. Darkness will fall over the planet, and all Cybertronians will be forsaken.

" But in the time of despair, a flame of hope will rise. One young female of the Hybrid will be chosen by Primus himself to be the last hope for Cybertron. She will be known as the "Fuser" and she will be a warrior such as none have ever seen. She will be as strong as all thirteen Primes and as wise as Primus himself.

" Throughout her life span the Fuser will learn happiness and pain, rejection and acceptance, trust and betrayal. She will face and overcome many struggles. She will form many relationships, but only with the last of the Primes will she bond to as a father and he to her as a daughter. Nothing shall ever sever it.

" As she grows the Fuser will face her destiny. She will help bring peace to the universe. Only she will restore the honor of her breed. And Primus will grant only the Fuser sixteen lives to live, and sixteen to endure."

A heavy deafening silence fell over the room as all gazes shifted from Optimus to the Hybrid sitting beside him in the circle of his arm. The Fuser? Hunter was the Fuser? Primus' chosen one? The savior for Cybertron and all Cybertronians alike? But… the legend of the Fuser… that's all it was right? A legend? Then again, how else could you explain Hunter coming back to life if she wasn't the Fuser… with sixteen lives?

" Only the Fuser has sixteen lives to live…" Arcee murmured, causing Hunter to look at her in shock.

" There's no way," Jack whispered.

" And sixteen to endure," Raf finished the phrase.

Hunter's gaze flew to Raf, then to Jack, then Miko. Then her optics started darting around as she took in the gaze of the rest of the team. They were all looking at her with a mixture of amazement, disbelief, and fear. Hunter's vents started coming short and fast. The Fuser? She couldn't be the Fuser! She just… couldn't be! A look of anger shadowed over her face and she shook her head again. No. She wasn't the Fuser. She wasn't! Without warning, she leaped to her feet, broke through the ring of 'Bots and sprinted out of the lab. She had to get out. She had to get away; leave all this behind once and for all! She couldn't stay here. She wouldn't! This wasn't real. None of it was real! It was all just a dream. She'd wake up and be back in her room at the orphanage where she could forget about this dream with Autobots and Decepticons and Jasper, Nevada and get on with her life. She'd go back to what she normally did: riding the foster care system for all it was worth. This whole thing had been a dream—all of it!

A voiced boomed out her name and a strong hand gripped onto her wrist and snapped her around. Hunter looked back into Optimus' face, so full of affection and concern and understanding. It wasn't a dream. More anger and fear flooded through the Hybrid's systems and, without thinking, she wrenched away from the grip of the Prime and slammed her hands against his chest with all the strength she had in her. " Get away from me!" she screeched.

" Oof!" Optimus went flying backward straight through a wall.

Hunter didn't even apologize. She just stared on as she backed away, continuing to shake her head. " I'm not the Fuser," she whispered. " I can't be!" Spinning back around, she transformed into her human mode and took off down the corridor that led out of the base. She raced through the doors as they opened and on down the road. She'd almost reached the turn in the road that would take her out of sight of the base when she heard the all-to-familiar roar of an engine and honk of a semi. Instinctively, she came to a stop. That's when her legs gave way and the fifteen-year-old fell to her knees in the red Nevada dirt gasping for breath. She was still exhausted from the fight and the reawakening: the shock of the previous events didn't help out much either.

" Hunter!" Optimus' voice came to her ears. His truck-form braked to a stop beside her, air brakes hissing exceptionally loudly in the quiet, then his engine switched off and his holoform stepped out and made its way towards her. Carefully, he knelt down and put his arms around her, gently pulling her to her feet. " Hunter, it's not safe for you to be out here, especially in this condition," he crooned softly, soothingly, just like he always did when she was upset or frightened. " Come now, let's go back to ba…"

" Don't touch me!" the girl shrieked, slapping and hitting him as she yanked away. She glared harshly at him.

Optimus only looked at her with compassion and concern, again just like he always did when she was like this. It broke his spark to see her so angry and confused. " Hunter," he sighed, stepping closer.

" Don't!" Hunter warned him, taking a step back.

The Prime stopped.

" How long was I dead?" the teenager demanded, her voice at a rasp.

" Hunter…"

" _**How long**_, Optimus?"

Optimus sighed heavily. " About half-an-hour."

" Half-an-hour," Hunter repeated. " Half-an-hour. That's about as long as other people have been dead too, and they've come back to life, not because they're the Fuser, just because they came back."

" Hunter…"

" Maybe I wasn't even dead! Maybe I was just in some sort of coma."

" Hunter…"

" I just can't be the Fuser. I just can't be! Why would Primus ever…"

" Hunter!" Optimus lunged forward and clamped a hand over her lips to shut her up. " Enough!"

The redhead looked up at him, her beautiful sapphire blue eyes wide with fear and filled with tears. He yelled at her! Optimus never yelled at her unless they were on the battlefield.

Seeing the fear in her eyes, the stern look melted away from the Prime's holoform face and the rigidness from his body. His hand slipped away from her mouth to her shoulder. " Enough," he repeated in a gentler tone, cupping her cheek with the other hand.

Hunter's body and mind acted inherently to his soft touch. Just like she always did when he held her cheek, the girl turned her face into the leathery warm palm of his holoform hand. Her right hand reached up and rested atop his left, which was cupping her cheek, and her left hand was placed atop his right, which was at her shoulder. A wonderfully, comforting feeling came over her, warming her from the spark on out. It reached into her mind and started taking over; eliminating all the feelings of anger, grief, and fear until there was nothing but the warmth. She began to give into it. Slowly, surely, her eyes started drifting shut and she stepped closer to him. This feeling—this feeling of complete trust and affection, right here, right now with him—was all she wanted; was all she had longer for, for as long as she could remember. Hunter remembered what it was now. She knew what was happening… and she couldn't allow it to happen. She could never allow herself to fall into that trap again. She just couldn't.

The warm feeling immediately receded out of her body, the anger, grief, and fear returning. Hunter's eyes snapped wide open. " No!" she cried, pulling away from the Prime's touch yet again… despite how badly she wanted it. " No! Get off me!"

" Hunter," Optimus said, his voice filled with sorrow and his electro-blue holoform eyes shining with pain and empathy.

Hunter lowered her gaze from his and turned her back to him. She hung her head. A heavy gloomy silence fell over the two with nothing but the hot desert breeze to fill it. Absently, Hunter reached up and clenched her Hybrid medallion in her fist so tightly that its edges bit into her palm and caused her to bleed. She watched as the brilliant aqua-blue liquid oozed up between her fingers, and dripped onto the rusty colored Nevada soil. A lump formed in her throat and tears pricked at her eyes, but she swallowed it and blinked them back; she couldn't afford to cry now. " I'm sorry, big guy," she spoke after long moments, her voice barely above a whisper. " I really am. But this… this isn't for me—isn't my path. I'm not the Fuser and I never should have come here in the first place."

" Hunter…" Optimus began but she didn't hear him and kept talking.

" I don't belong here," the teenager continued. Then she whispered more to herself than to Optimus, " I was an idiot thinking I'd found everything I was looking for here. Just a stupid idiot."

" Hunter, no," Optimus gently objected. He stepped forward and reached out, touching her shoulder.

Hunter flinched and turned around to face him once again. Still clenching her medallion in her hand, she met his gaze—his truthful, tender, affectionate gaze. " You deserve far better than me, Optimus," she choked out, voice catching in her throat. " All of you." With that she made a quick jerk of her hand. The fine, silver chain around her neck, which supported her medallion, came loose, and she chucked the pendant into the dust between them.

The Prime stared at the necklace, the insignia facing upward, as it glittered with all its—now blue-tinged—black, gold, and silver glory against the red background in sheer disbelief. His gaze shifted back up to Hunter. His spark skipped a beat and a deadly chill ran through his holoform body once he saw the expression masking Hunter's face. It was a look he had never seen on her before, and he had seen many of them. It wasn't her broken and distraught look. It wasn't even her cold, distant, and angry look, though there definitely was iciness and distance in it. This was a Hunter he didn't know—the Hunter that she had been before she came to Jasper—the Hunter that had grown up knowing nothing but the pain and bitterness of the foster-care system. Optimus didn't like it. " Hunter…" he whispered, reaching out to her.

The fifteen-year-old simply took a step back out of his reach, face unmoving, void of any emotion at all. " Goodbye, Optimus Prime," she said, her voice just as aloof and dead as her face. Then suddenly she stepped forward and put her hands on his shoulders. Standing up on tiptoe, she dared to plant a kiss on his cheek. " And good-luck to you," she whispered into his ear. With that, Hunter backed away, turned, and broke into a run yet again, taking off down the road going towards home.

" Hunter," Optimus called after her. She didn't turn. " Hunter," he repeated his voice louder. Not even a falter in her stride. " Hunter!" the Prime cried again, his voice now at a yell. She didn't look back.

* * *

That night Hunter stepped out of the shower, reached for the towel hanging on the rack, and began to dry herself off. She gritted her teeth against the dull ache at the back of her head as she dried her hair off. When she was finished she tossed the towel in the hamper and slipped into her robe. Looking down to tie the knot in the cord she paused once she saw the slightly raised, discoloration on her abdomen that was the scar from her stab wound. Looking down to her legs she studied the numerous scars, bruises, and scrapes that she'd received more from her fight with Bombardier than from the fall from the Nemesis. The girl wondered: just how bad was it all? Her front wasn't quite so bad since she hadn't slammed into a Vehicon with that half of her body facing down, but what about her backside? Did she even want to know? After a moment of consideration Hunter decided yes.

Slowly she reached for the knob on the bathroom door, turned it, flipped off the light as she slipped out into the hall, and padded to her room where she closed the door. She strode forward to her full-length mirror. For a moment she simply stared at it, wondering once again if this was really what she wanted to know. Once again it was a 'yes'. So hesitantly, cautiously, Hunter turned her back to the mirror, undoing the knot in her robe as she did. Steeling herself, she let the clothing fall to the floor and turned. Her stomach rolled. Her entire backside, from her neck clear down to her heels, was severely black with bruising.


	19. Giving Up

** Thank you again for all the comments and favorites and follows. I'd send you all a comment back, but I'm really bad with stuff like that. Hopefully my story-telling makes up for it. LOL**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Sound the bugle now. Play it just for me. As the seasons change… remember how I used to be. Now I can't go on. I can't even start. I got nothin' left… just an empty heart. I'm a soldier, wounded so I must give up the fight. There's nothin' more for me; lead me away… or leave me lyin' here…" Bryan Adams; _Sound the Bugle _

17

Ω Giving Up Ω

Jack paused and stared down the Lennoxes' driveway, wondering for about the millionth time since he'd set out from town if this was the right thing to do. Then he decided that, even if it wasn't, he'd better do it anyway since he'd ridden his ten-speed all the way from his house out to the Lennox ranch—a feat that was by no means small—instead of Arcee for this very purpose. Somehow he just had the feeling that bringing Arcee along with him while he confronted Hunter would've only complicated things. So with a heavy sigh, the sixteen-year-old picked his bike up, carried it across the cattle guard, and then remounted before pedaling off down the road. A few minutes later he was pulling up in front of the white, two-story ranch house. Kicking the kickstand down, he slipped off, and hung his helmet on the handlebars. He then stood there, staring up at the window that marked Hunter's room, his stomach twisting into one big knot. What was he getting himself into?

" Hey, Jack," a man's voice caught his attention.

Turning, Jack saw Will Lennox striding across the yard from the Quonset where, judging from the grease on his arms and the grease rag in his hands, he must have been working on a tractor or something. " Hey, Will," the boy greeted. The Lennoxes always preferred to have Hunter's friends call them by their first names rather than by the formal "Mr." and "Mrs." They were just cool like that.

" On the ten-speed again, huh?" Will questioned, coming to a stop in front of him and leaning up against the yard fence.

" Well, just for right now, anyway," Jack clarified. " Figured it'd be better not to bring Arcee here after everything and… well, you know," he confessed with a shrug.

Will nodded, understanding completely. " Good call," he agreed. Then he sighed. " I'm guessin' you're lookin' for Hunter then," it was a statement, not a question.

" Is she here?"

The man nodded and jutted a thumb up to the window of Hunter's room. " Same place she's been since she broke it off with the team. She's been pretty upset since… well, she's worse now, but since her transformation I guess. Can't say I blame her really. I mean after losing all her friends and all the crap she had to…" Will stopped once he noticed Jack hanging his head in shame. He cursed himself out under his breath. It was probably hard enough for the kid to come here without him going and tearing at wounds that hadn't even been scabbed over yet. " I'm sorry, son," he apologized. " It's just that Hunter's like a second daughter to us and when she's hurting…"

" I get it, Will," Jack interrupted, looking back up and nodding. " And it's okay. I deserve it. I haven't been much of a friend to Hunter these last few weeks and there's no excuse for it. Actually, that's sugarcoating it. I've been a real rat to her, and I wouldn't blame her or you if you treated me like dirt."

" Well, you're nothing if not honest," Will chuckled. " But if I know Hunter she'll forgive you. Hunt's not the kind of girl to hold a grudge—not when it comes to people she cares about at least."

" That's one of the things that makes her so special," Jack pointed out impulsively.

Will nodded. " She'll be angry for a little while, but then she'll forgive and let bygones be bygones. It'll just take some time for her to cool down." Suddenly he smirked. " 'Course, that don't mean she won't bring it up to bust your butt every now and again." Both laughed, then Will reached out and gave a friendly pat to the boy's shoulder. " Go on up and see her, Jack. She needs to see someone."

" Yeah, except maybe that someone should be Optimus," the sixteen-year-old pointed out glumly.

" To tell ya the truth, son," Will sighed, " I think he'd probably just make things that much worse for her. That's why he's been staying away from here."

" She's that hung up over him," Jack read between the lines. " He's the same way only in reverse."

The man simply nodded. He patted Jack's shoulder one last time before walking off back to the big metal shed. " Good-luck, kid."

" Thanks," Jack called over his shoulder. Then he added under his breath, " I'm gonna need it." Stealing himself for whatever was to happen, the teenager opened the yard gate, stepped through, and marched up to the house. He knocked and Sarah answered.

" Oh, hello, Jack," the blond woman greeted him warmly. " You're here to see Hunter, aren't you?"

Jack nodded. That's when he became aware to the sound of muffled but still very loud music pumping through the house. " What is that?" he questioned.

" Hunter's stereo," Sarah answered. " She's been blaring her music ever since… well… um…" she cleared her throat, and stopped talking, not wanting to bring up the sore subject. " Why don't you go on up and see her?"

" Thanks, Sarah," the boy replied then stepped through into the house. As he proceeded up the stairs the music became louder and louder and louder still. By the time Jack reached Hunter's bedroom door his eardrums were pounding and the walls and floor around him were shaking with reverberations. The teenager didn't even bother to knock on the door; he simply opened it and peeked through. He couldn't believe it.

Hunter was lying on her bed, a bag of chips beside her as she watched TV with the volume turned all the way up. In her ears was her iPod, and blaring on the stereo at full blast was Judas Priest. The entire room seemed to shake.

Jack stepped into the room and slammed the door behind him. That was when the girl finally noticed him.

Hunter's gaze flickered up to him, her eyes and face showing no emotion whatsoever. She looked to the TV again. Blindly reaching over, she picked up the remote for her TV and muted it before picking up the remote for her stereo system and pausing the CD. Then she pulled the earphones out of her ears and paused whatever song she happened to be listening to on there. " What're you doin' here?" she inquired, reaching into the bag and stuffing a few more chips—or by now what were more like chip crumbs—into her mouth.

" Little much to be having the stereo, TV, and iPod on, don't you think?" Jack avoided the question.

" I like the noise," Hunter stated simply with a shrug. " It distracts me; keeps my mind off stuff." She reached over to her bedside table, grabbed a can of rootbeer that had been sitting there, and chugged it. Releasing a large belch (Hunter was classic for those), the redhead crushed the can in one hand and threw it. The can hit the wall on the other side of the room and went into the trashcan.

" Nice shot," Jack praised her, trying to lighten the mood.

Hunter just stared at him with a bored expression—apparently the attempt hadn't worked. " You still haven't answered my question, Jack," she pointed out, sitting up.

" Yeah, what was the question again?" Jack asked and then chuckled in yet another attempt to alleviate the atmosphere. It didn't work.

" What are you doing here?" Hunter repeated her previous inquisition, articulating it slowly as if Jack didn't understand English very well.

" I think you know the answer," Jack stated simply, now just as somber as the girl was.

Hunter shrugged again. " Maybe I do, maybe I don't," she replied. " You tell me."

" All right then," the boy took up the challenge. He motioned to the bed. " Mind if I sit down?"

" Since when does it matter if I mind or not?" Hunter asked by way of answer, shrugging yet again. There was just enough resentment in her tone to give the question an angry bite.

Jack flinched, but couldn't blame her. He knew she was right, and just like he'd mentioned to Will a few minutes earlier: he deserved it. Slowly, he walked across the room and lowered himself onto the edge of the bed across from Hunter. For a moment the two sat in silence—the boy looking down at his hands and twiddling his thumbs, and the girl examining her fingernails. Finally Jack spoke. " It's been a week since you left, Hunter," he stated the fact.

" You're point is?" was the only reply.

" We barely see you," Jack answered. " I mean, even in school Miko, Raf, and I hardly ever get a chance to talk to you."

" Hmm, that's funny. You weren't complaining about that _**before**_ I left the team."

Once again Jack flinched at the just acidity in her tone. " Okay," he confessed, " I admit that it was wrong of us to turn our backs on you after your transformation simply because you're different."

" Dang right."

" And we deserve to be treated like scrap by you in return."

" Why, thank you for the consent, Mr. Darby."

" But, Hunter, it's also wrong for you to walk out on the commitment you made to the team."

" What commitment, Jack?"

" The commitment you made the first day you joined. The commitment that says that you'll always be there to fight for what's right, no matter what.

" I don't remember signing anything or making any such statement."

" It's an unspoken, understood one. One that's bound by trust and honor."

At that Hunter snorted. " Trust?" she laughed cynically. " Honor? Boy, have you sure got the wrong girl. I sure as heck don't have much honor, buddy, and I don't trust anybody besides myself." With that she stood up, crumpled up the chip bag which was, obviously, now empty, and strode across the room to put it in the trash can.

Jack watched her in silence. After a few seconds, he spoke again. " Hunter, you owe it to the team—to all of us—to come back," he said.

At that, Hunter's body became intensely rigid and almost seemed to tremble in anger. She whipped around to face him, pointing accusingly at him. " I don't owe you _**anything**_!" she snarled. " Not anymore! You lost that the day you decided that I wasn't good enough to be a part of your group any longer."

Jack became silent. Once again he knew Hunter was right. She didn't owe the team or him or Raf or Miko anything since they'd all basically turned their backs on her and hadn't done anything but torment her since her transformation. So much for that tactic. " What about Optimus, Hunter?" the boy softly questioned after a moment.

At the mention of the Autobot commander's name, all of the tension and anger and uncertainty in Hunter's body seemed to melt away. For a brief second, a flicker of attachment and longing flashed in Hunter's deep blue eyes. A small, somewhat sad smile tugged up one corner of her mouth. But then it all disappeared and the fifteen-year-old became guarded again though she wasn't quite as rigid and angry as she had been before. " What about Optimus, Jack?" she carefully asked back.

" What do you owe him?" the boy replied firmly.

That time, it was Hunter's turn to go silent. Jack wouldn't have asked such a question if he hadn't already known the answer, so apparently he wanted to see if she knew. Did she know? What _**did**_ she owe Optimus? The Prime had been there for her from the first day they had met. He had protected her, comforted her, stood beside her, and defended her through every trial and tribulation whether it was when she was being attacked by Decepticons or being verbally smacked down by someone. Not once had Optimus ever turned on her or abandoned her. He had been as true-blue and loyal to her as anyone could ever have been, and coming out of the foster care system, Hunter was more than well aware of just how rare and special that quality was. The girl lowered her head, unable to keep Jack's eye contact any longer. Her fists clenched at her sides. What did she owe Optimus? " Everything," she whispered so that only she could hear.

" What?" Jack prodded.

Hunter lifted her head again and looked the boy right in the eye. Her expression was as cold and defensive as ever. There was no way she was going to tell Jack; she wasn't going to let him have that victory. " He doesn't care about me," she spit the lie out like acid. Then she turned and began to storm out of her own room, not wanting to stay there any longer.

" He cried when you died, Hunter," Jack's voice came back to her ears.

Hunter froze mid-stride. Her spark skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat. What? Had she heard that right? Optimus Prime—_**her **_Optimus Prime—had actually cried? For her? That, Jack surely _**had**_ to be making up; Optimus Prime didn't cry ever. Not for anyone. Turning halfway, Hunter met the sixteen-year-old's gaze once again. " You're lying," she stated.

Jack shook his head, his face set in defiance. " No," he insisted, " I'm not. It's true. Optimus cried for you when you died, Hunter. I saw the tear-stains on his face when he brought you back to the base before you came back again. He held you in his arms and cried. Don't you get it, Hunter? Optimus doesn't just care about you—he loves you! For all he's worth he loves you. You are everything to him—a part of him: it's just that neither of you can see it. So don't tell me Optimus doesn't care about you because he does, Hunter!"

Hunter remained silent. She glared at Jack with the coldest of glares, knowing he was right and hating him for it. " Get out," she finally murmured, turning away again.

" He misses you," Jack made one last report.

The girl whipped back around, reflexively extracting a pair of her razors. She swung her arm up across her body as if she was ready to slash him to bits, pained rage burning in her eyes. " I said _**get out**_!" she bellowed.

" You think that's gonna scare me, Hunter?" Jack demanded, looking just as angry as she did. " You think I'm afraid of you? 'Cause I'm not. I know you, Hunter, and you won't hurt me."

" You don't know me," the girl rasped bitterly, but she lowered her arm down to her side, and retracted her claws.

" Not as good as Optimus does, no," Jack agreed. " But I do know you enough to know that this," he gestured to all of her, " isn't you."

" What on God's-green-earth are you talkin' about?" Hunter snapped.

" You know exactly what I'm talking about," Jack accused.

" No, I don't!"

" My foot you don't!"  
" Well then spell it out for me if you're so sure!"

" You're scared!" Jack shouted as if it was the single most obvious observation in the world.

" I am not!" Hunter shrieked. How dare he accuse her of being afraid?! She wasn't afraid of anything!

" Oh, yes you are," Jack insisted. " And it's not just one thing you're scared of, Hunter, it's a whole bunch of things."

" You have no idea what you're talking about," Hunter rumbled turning her back on him yet again. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

" Oh, I don't?" Jack questioned.

" No," Hunter glared at him over her shoulder. " You don't."

" Okay then, tell me if I'm wrong," Jack challenged his voice now soft. " You're in love with Optimus."

Hunter swore her spark stopped mid-beat. She was just glad that she had her back turned to Jack or else he would have seen on her face flush red. " You're delusional," she barely choked the words out.

" You're in love with Optimus and you think of him as a father," Jack went on. " Am I close?"

" I thought I told you to get out," came the soft reply.

" But what I don't get is _**why**_ you're so scared, Hunter."

" This conversation is over." Hunter began walking towards her door.

" What happened to you to make you so afraid of love?"

By now, Hunter was holding the door open, her eyes still averted from the boy's. " Goodbye, Jack," she said.

Jack stood and started walking towards the door. Instead of exiting like he knew she wanted, he turned to face her. " Hunter, if you don't come back, if you don't accept your destiny and face your fears, everyone—Cybertronians, humans, everyone—is doomed."

" Not my problem," Hunter mumbled.

" It _**is **_you're problem, because you're the Fuser!"

" I am _**not **_the Fuser!"

" Hunter, everyone needs you and is depending on you!"

" I don't want them to!" Hunter cried. Now she met his gaze, her own eyes glistening and threatening to burst with tears.

" Why?!"

" Because why should I have to die sixteen times over for everyone else?!"

" Hunter, I understand what you're getting at…"

" No!" the fifteen-year-old screamed, the tears now streaming freely down her face. " You don't understand! How could you?! You're not the one who suffered and died, Jack! I did! _**I**_ was the one who was beaten to a pulp! _**I**_ was the one who was run through with a sword! _**I**_ was the one who was thrown off the top of the Decepticon warship! _**I**_ was the one who laid in a pool of my own energon, too mangled and busted up to cry out in pain! You don't understand, Jack! You can't understand! _**No**_ _**one**_ can _**ever **_understand!"

With that said, a heavy silence fell over the room as the two teenagers just stood there staring at each other. Jack turned to walk away. He took a step out of the door and then stopped. " Hunter…" he said slowly, carefully, as he turned back around, "… if you don't come back… bad things—I'm not saying that they'll happen today, or tomorrow, or even in the next hundred years—but bad things will happen to all of us."

" Well then we're all majorly screwed aren't we?" Hunter growled and moved to shut the door. Suddenly she stopped. Opening it back up, she looked the boy straight in the eyes and said, " Oh, and by the way, Jack, I'm not the only one who broke the commitment." The door slammed shut.

* * *

_She was running. Running. Running. Always running. She never stopped—never paused for breath. And she was alone—utterly alone—in the dark. Rain began to fall. At first, it was just a few spatters of drops here and there, but then it started pouring down in torrents. She was soaking wet and freezing, but still she continued to run. _

_ She didn't know what she was running to or from, all she knew is that she was running and never seeming to get anywhere. All around her there were voices. Some voices from people she knew, some from people she had known, and still others from people she didn't know but maybe would know in the future. The voices were all in one big murmuring jumble, but every once in a while one would become louder than the rest and she would be able to hear it perfectly._

_ " It was because of you and your kind that Cybertron fell!" the voice was Ratchet's. " You betrayed us! All of us!"_

" _My ancestors may not have been perfect," the voice was now Arcee's, " but at least they didn't sell out Cybertron, like every single one of yours did!"_

" _Just who do you think you are, Hybrid-scum?!" that was Bulkhead._

_Then it was Bumblebee. " I don't need the help of Hybrid filth like you!"_

" _You were human once too, Hunter," Jack's voice sounded through the darkness._

" _Is it just me or is she actually starting to sound like a Decepticon?" that voice was Miko's._

" _You always used to fight the bullies, Hunter," now it was Raf that was talking. " Now you've turned into one." _

" _Hunter, I am disappointed in you," Optimus' voice echoed._

" _Shut up," she whispered as she continued to run, trying to get away from them, but it was no use. No matter how fast she went they were right there beside her. She couldn't escape. Suddenly she tripped in the dark and went sprawling into the cold and wet. She tried to push herself up, but her legs were just too heavy to lift. So she knelt there in the rain, arms wrapped around her shivering form, trying to push away the voices. " Shut up," she rasped. _

_The voices wouldn't stop._

" _Shut up. Shut up! SHUT UP!"_

_The voices now died away and there was nothing but deafening silence and the rain. Without warning an evil, menacing, all-too-familiar laugh split the air, sending shivers down her spine. Bombardier appeared before her._

" _Looks like I win, tidbit," he sneered, touching the tip of his sword to her chin and raising her head. " And now everyone you care about… is mine." Suddenly Optimus appeared beside them, hands and feet bound, down on his knees, head bowed, optics closed. " Starting with your beloved Prime!" Bombardier raised his sword and swung it down._

* * *

" No!" Hunter screamed and sat bolt upright in bed. She was drenched in a cold sweat, shivering violently and panting. Her deep blue eyes darted around her room, surveying everything. After a moment she sighed. A nightmare. Just a nightmare. A terrible nightmare! She wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now. Still shivering, Hunter reached over to her bedside table to grab her phone. She always called him after nightmares because he would talk her through it; help her feel calm and safe again. He always made her feel calm and safe. Just one call to Optimus and… And then Hunter remembered. She couldn't call Optimus. She'd vowed never to talk to or see him again. Slowly, reluctantly, she opened her trembling hand and released the phone. It clunked to the table. And then Hunter just sat there, hand still stretched out and open over her phone as if to grab it again. She swallowed hard. Pulling her hand back, she reached up to her chest to grab hold of her medallion. It wasn't there. " Oh, that's right," she whispered to herself, " I threw it away." Her hand curled into such a tight fist that her nails bit into her palm and then lowered to the mattress. Suddenly Hunter felt like she was being suffocated—she needed fresh air.

Practically running on autopilot, the fifteen-year-old swung her legs out of bed and stood, then began to head for her door. Opening it, she stepped out into the hallway, walked down the stairs, and exited the house. Ignoring the sharp jab of the rocks to her feet, Hunter marched across the ranch yard, clambered over the fence to the horse pasture, and headed straight for a very familiar place: her and Optimus' cloud watching spot. She went passed one large patch of matted, flattened grass where she always laid and went directly to the even larger patch of flattened grass where her guardian always laid. Stopping in the center of it, she looked around and then lowered herself to sit before lying down. The grass was cold and wet with dew.

After laying down, Hunter rolled over onto her side and snuffled her nose into the grass. The earth still smelled of the Prime. Without warning, an unbearable feeling of heartache and loneliness washed over the teenager. Her eyes welled with biting tears, and before she could stop them they were flowing down her cheeks. Raging sobs wracked her body as the broken-sparked girl clutched at the blades of grass, pulling them up out of the soil. She was alone; so alone in this world… and so shattered. It was her worst fear come true. " Oh, Optimus!" she wailed. " What have I done?! What have I done…"


	20. Torn in Two

** Wow. I am such a total idiot—uploading the wrong chapter! Can you say epic fail?! I'm so sorry, everyone. I was in kind of a rush to get the chapter put up and I guess I didn't look at which one I clicked on, and I didn't double check when I went to press submit. And then later when I went back on to check my other stories and whatnot, my stupid computer wouldn't load up FFN, so I had to go to my email inbox to find my reviews. I saw all yours and... wow... just wow. I was beet-red with both embarrassment and rage. Thank you all for telling me, or else I would never had known! I can't believe I was that stupid! UUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!**

** *sighs* Anyway, sorry about that, and enjoy. **

**Warning, more sadness ahead. :(**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Lately… somethin' here don't feel right. This is just a half-life! Without you I am breakin' down. Oh, wake me! I wanna see the daylight. Save me from this half-life! Let's you and I escape… escape from time…" Duncan Sheik; _Half-Life_

18

Ω Torn in Two Ω

Much like it had been for the past week, breakfast was all but silent. No conversation stirred the atmosphere whatsoever. Even Annabelle kept her mouth shut—and that's saying a lot for a six-year-old. Only the scrapes and clatters of plates and utensils helped to alleviate the utter stillness.

Hunter sat sideways on her hip in her chair, leaning against the table. One elbow propped up on the table with her head in her hand, she stared sullenly down at her plate as she disinterestedly picked at her food. Even though it wasn't her favorite breakfast, she usually liked scrambled eggs and ham. Not today. Releasing a heavy sigh, the redhead pushed her plate away, folded her arms on the table, and laid her head down on them. She was weary: emotionally, mentally, and physically. Already running on very little sleep, crying herself to a fitful sleep on the hard cold ground of the horse pasture hadn't helped matters at all. The coming night would be no different.

Will and Sarah gazed at Hunter and then looked at each other, great concern lining their faces. They had never seen their foster daughter so depressed, even before she'd joined Team Prime. This was a whole new side of Hunter that they—or anyone for that matter—had never witnessed before. It scared them. Hunter was giving up and they knew it: they were losing her. She needed to be back with Team Prime… with her friends… with Optimus.

They turned their attention back to their foster daughter as she suddenly raised her head and looked out the kitchen window. A second later a familiar sounding horn blared through the air. Will, Sarah, and Annabelle all turned to the window to see a shining, red and blue Peter-built rolling up in front of the house. They all exchanged excited glances and then turned to talk to Hunter about going out to see him only to see that she was already up and heading for the front door.

Hunter took a deep breath and put her bored distant mask on before opening the door and stepping out onto the porch. Walking over to the steps, she leaned up against the post and crossed her arms over her chest. She watched as the Prime parked, switched off his engine, turned his holoform on, and stepped out of the cab. It took everything she had not to break down and run to hug him as tightly as she could. " What are you doing here?" she questioned blandly, no emotion in her voice.

Eyes on hers, Optimus' holoform opened up the yard gate and stepped through. " I was out on patrol and decided to stop by," he answered, slowly proceeding up the sidewalk.

" Take it and shove it," Hunter snapped, knowing him all too well to believe that story. " Come on, Prime, level with me. This morning wasn't your morning to be out on patrol and it's not like you to make random social calls. So why are you really here? Did Jack tell you to come and see me?"

Optimus sighed. " He mentioned your conversation, yes," he confessed, stopping before her with one foot on the first porch step and the other on the sidewalk. " However I am here on my own accord." He was silent for a moment, as he looked her over carefully. " How are you, Hunter?" he asked, a slight smile curling his lips.

" Well, I'm alive," the girl answered with a shrug. " _Barely_," she added to herself. " How are you?"

" Much the same as you," he replied.

Hunter nodded then averted her eyes from his.

A heavy silence fell between them, making them both shift uncomfortably. Finally Optimus broke it. " You had a nightmare last night, didn't you?" he asked, though it was almost more of an assertion than a inquisition.

Hunter stared at him with wide awestruck eyes, forgetting to keep on her mask. " How did you know?" she gasped.

The Prime shrugged. " We still share a spark-link, Hunter," he stated.

" Oh. Yeah. Right," the girl murmured softly, remembering the link that had somehow always been between their sparks and then had been solidified on the day of her transformation when Optimus had ignited her dormant spark with his touch. The link allowed them to feel each others emotions and pain. To some extent it allowed them to have corresponding dreams—sometimes even thoughts: but mostly the link bound them together; connected them; made them a part of each other. It was their own special bond that neither of them shared with anyone else.

" Do you… wish to discuss it?" Optimus interrogated gently.

Hunter shook her head, but started talking about her nightmare anyway. " It was dark all around me… and cold. There was rain and… and voices. Lots of voices: Arcee's, Bulkhead's, Ratchet's, yours… everyone's. And then…" she dropped off and swallowed hard. When she started talking again, her voice was shaking. " And then he was there."

" Bombardier," Optimus whispered.

The fifteen-year-old nodded. " He was… laughing… saying he won… saying that everybody I cared about was his. And then you appeared. You were shackled; hands and feet bound, down on your knees. Bomber had a sword with him, and he…" her voice cracked and faltered off and she was unable to say anymore; it was too terrifying. Suddenly a rough, leathery, warm hand tenderly cupped her cheek and a callused thumb gently rubbed against her cheekbone. That's when Hunter realized that she was crying. With tearful eyes she looked up and met the soft calm of her guardian's eyes.

" Was this your foresight?" Optimus questioned, voice barely above a whisper as he continued to stroke her cheek.

" I don't know," Hunter answered, quietly relishing his touch. " It's impossible to tell what's foresight and what isn't in my dreams because everything looks the same; no inverted colors to distinguish them." Usually Hunter was able to discern what was foresight and what was imaginative because her foresight showed everything through negative colors. In her dreams that was a different story because nothing was in negative, everything was in straight. Why that was the case, Hunter didn't know.

" Why didn't you call me?"

At that question Hunter slowly pulled away from the Prime's touch. She looked away from his eyes. " You know why," she answered.

Optimus sighed heavily. He did know why, but he didn't like it and he knew she didn't either. " Hunter, my shooting star, please come back," he practically begged.

Hunter shook her head. " I can't."

" Why?"

" Because I don't belong there."

" You're a Hybrid, sweet-spark; a Cybertronian. You belong with other Cybertronians."

The girl crossed her arms over her chest and turned away. " Try tellin' that to the rest of the team."

" In time they will accept you."

" We both know that's a lie. To get them to accept me I'll have to do something heroic: probably die again."

Optimus shook his head and sighed, knowing she was right. " Hunter, I understand…"

" No you don't," the teenager interrupted him. " You don't understand. No one will ever understand. I'm sick and tired of people telling me they understand when they don't. How could they understand? They don't know what it's like to be hated just because you're different, or because you had a bad past, or because you're lineage is something to be ashamed of. They don't know what it's like to get the ever-living scrap beat out of you and d…" her voice dropped off again as a lump came to her throat and more tears to her eyes.

The Prime's spark broke in pain for her. She was so angry and hurt and confused… and Optimus couldn't blame her. Hunter had endured more pain and hardship in her young life than most people would in their entire lifetime. It just wasn't fair. " I'm sorry, Hunter," he murmured softly, drawing her attention back to him. " I should have done a better job at protecting you from the pain and sorrow… and instead I allowed you to endure it. There is nothing I can do to change the past now." Then a look of determination and strength came over the Prime's holoform, and he stared straight into Hunter's eyes, once again making her feel like he was looking straight into her spark. " I failed you once, but I will not allow myself to fail you again, no matter how heavy the burden."

Suddenly that cold distant expression came over Hunter's face again and a snarl pulled up her lips. " So," she growled, " protecting me is a burden, huh?" She looked away for a moment and made a "humphing" sound before meeting his gaze again. " Well, then… allow me to relieve you of that burden." With that, she turned and began marching back into the house when a firm hand gripped her own and pulled her back around. The redhead found herself back in Optimus' arms, gazing into his intense electro-blue eyes again.

" You can never relieve me of that burden, Hunter," the Prime told her firmly. " Never." Without warning, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead in a kiss.

Hunter simply stood there—frozen—unable to think of anything else but the fact that Optimus was holding and kissing her. Really kissing her! Before she could catch herself, her eyelids drifted closed and she began leaning into his kiss.

Finally, after an eternity, the Prime pulled away and gazed into her deep sapphire blue eyes one more time. " It does not matter what is in my way, what distance lies between, or even if death separates us. I swear to you, my shooting star, I will protect you with everything in my power, and I will do whatever it takes to protect you," he repeated the promise he had made to her the night before her death. Then he unwrapped his arms from her, turned, and began to make his way back down the path.

Hunter watched after him. " Optimus?" she called after a moment.

The Prime's holoform stopped mid-stride and he looked back over his massive shoulder. " Yes, my shooting star?" he replied.

" Why do you keep calling me that?" she asked.

Optimus turned all the way around and gave her a quizzical look with a raised eyebrow. " Why do I keep calling you what, my shooting star?"

" That," Hunter answered. " 'My shooting star'. Why do you keep calling me that?"

Optimus was silent for a moment as he simply stared at her with a warm, affectionate gaze. A light smile curved his lips. " Because that's what you are, Hunter. You are my shooting star—my happiness, pride, joy, and hope. My wish come true. My shooting star." And with that, the holoform disappeared. Optimus' engine then roared to life and he pulled out of the ranch yard.

Hunter watched after him as he drove off down the driveway and pulled out onto the road, and listened for him until he was out of range. That's when she realized for the first time that she was holding something in her hand—the hand that Optimus has seized hold of. Slowly, the redhead brought her fist up and opened it. There, sitting in the center of her palm, was her necklace, the freshly polished medallion facing up and gleaming brightly and proudly in the morning sun. " His shooting star?"


	21. Running Away

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" It's easier to run... replacing this pain with something numb. It's so much easier to go... than face all this pain here all alone..." Linkin' Park;_ Easier to Run_

19

Ω Running Away Ω

Late that afternoon at the Autobot base, everything was quiet. The 'Bots were out with their human companions for some bonding time, Ratchet was out stretching his wheels, and Optimus was the only one at the base, taking this rare time to relax. As he was walking through the main room of the base, the red and blue Autobot couldn't help but release a disheartened sigh. The Prime enjoyed getting the time to unwind but… it just wasn't the same without Hunter. He missed her terribly. He missed the way she laughed and smiled. He missed her touch and her singing. He missed all of her little idiosyncrasies—like the way she could jabber on and on. Truth be told, Hunter wasn't really much of a talker and she often kept to herself at school or in public, but whenever she was with him she could just about "talk his arm", as the humans say. Optimus slightly smiled and chuckled to himself thinking about the many times Hunter had quoted movies such as _Monty Python & The Holy Grail _or had simply made random comments and questions.

The Prime was suddenly brought out of his reminiscing as the tone for the comm-link frequency went off and was followed by Sarah Lennox's voice. / _**Optimus?**_/ there was desperation and fear in her voice. / _**Optimus are you there?**_/

" I am here, Mrs. Lennox," Optimus answered, walking towards the computer. " What is wrong?"

/ _**Optimus, it's… it's Hunter.**_/

A cold paralyzing horror stabbed the Prime through the spark. Was Hunter hurt? Sick? In trouble? Did the 'Cons have her again? " What is it?" he questioned with urgency, barely able to keep his voice sounding somewhat calm for the task. " Is she all right? What's happened?"

There was shaky breathing and sniffling at the other end of the line.

/ _**After you left this morning, Hunter disappeared to her room again. I went up there to check on her about an hour ago, and she wasn't there. Will, Annabelle, and I checked the rest of the house and the ranch, but we couldn't find her. So then we called Epps since he was in town to see if he could find or had seen her. He couldn't and he hadn't. We called the Darby's, the Esquivel's, and Miko's host family but she wasn't at any of their houses and nobody has seen her. So we did one more check around the ranch, and that's when we discovered that… that Will's motorcycle was gone.**_/

Optimus' tank rolled, and his spark sank. If Hunter wasn't anywhere she would normally be, no one had seen her, and Will's motorcycle was missing that could only mean one thing. The Prime was dreading the words he knew were sure to follow.

/ _**Optimus… Hunter ran away.**_/

* * *

Hunter raced the motorcycle as fast as it could go down the highway. She didn't know where she was going, she just knew that she had to get away. She couldn't stay here any longer. The longer she stayed the worse things became and she just couldn't face it—couldn't handle it. " _Not like anybody's gonna miss me anyway_," the fifteen-year-old thought to herself. Right as she thought it, an image of Optimus appeared in her mind and his words echoed through her head: "_**Because that's what you are, Hunter. You are my shooting star—my happiness, pride, joy, and hope. My wish come true. My shooting star**_." The girl pushed the image and memory out of her mind and focused on the road in front of her. All she had to hope for now was that she didn't get pulled over by a cop. That's just what she needed—another sentence at juvie for stealing a motorcycle, driving without a license, and speeding. So far she'd been lucky, but, in Hunter's experience, luck never stuck with her for long.

* * *

Everyone—Team Prime, the children, the Lennoxes, Epps, even Agent Fowler—were gathered in the main room of the base. They talked to each other, voices and conversations overlapping, though they all spoke of the same thing: Hunter was missing.

" I told you! I told you!" Fowler shouted, pointing a finger at the Lennoxes and Epps. " Once a felon, always a felon. She took your bike and ran. It's kids like her that end up as anarchists or in gangs. The next time you see her, she'll be tattooed to the eyeballs, wearing some sleazy leather outfit with a dude named "Mutt" hanging off her arm, and pregnant!"

" Shut your yap, Bill!" Epps snarled.

" Mark my words, it'll happen," Fowler snapped.

" Oh, yes, because you know everything about everything," Will replied sarcastically. " You're a friggin' genius!"

" You may know military tactics and government protocols," Sarah joined in the argument, " but you don't know Hunter."

" Yeah!" Annabelle screamed. " You big meanie!" The six-year-old stuck her tongue out at the agent.

" I can't believe that she'd just… run off like that," Raf confessed in wonder.

" Well believe it, because she did!" Miko spat. " She high-tailed it outta town like her tail-pipe was on fire! I hope the 'Cons get her."

" How can you say that?!" Jack demanded angrily.

" You're defending her? After what she did?!" the girl shrieked.

" She was scared, Miko!"

" She abandoned us, Jack! She turned her back on Team Prime!"  
" We turned our backs on her first," Raf stated, voice barely above a whisper, but still loud enough to draw the gazes of the older two.

" Good riddance," Bulkhead dismissed the topic. " Far as I'm concerned the 'Cons can have her."

" But she knows the location of our base," Bumblebee pointed out with a buzz. " She gives us up and the next thing we know, we got 'Cons breaking down the walls!"

" 'Bee's got a point," Arcee agreed with a shrug. " Still I'd rather take on the 'Cons than have that little glitch back in the fold. Turn her back on us: break Prime's spark. _**Never**_ trust a Hybrid."

" Have you found any trace of her at all, Ratchet?" Optimus questioned. Optics wide with worry, he gazed at the computer screen scanning for the telltale blip that would be Hunter.

The medic growled in annoyance. " For the hundredth time in the past twenty minutes, Optimus, no!"

" We _**must**_ find her, Ratchet," Optimus declared.

Ratchet groaned. " For the _**thousandth**_ time in the past twenty minutes, I know. And just so we're clear; you couldn't have brought Hunter here against her own will if you had tried," apparently Optimus had mentioned that several times as well. " A Prime you may be, but Hunter is the Fuser as well as a Hybrid and greatly outranks you in strength." Mumbling to himself, Ratchet tried a different wavelength frequency and studied the screen. " Nothing," he stated the obvious. " Hunter must be remaining in her human form." Sighing, he turned away from the screen and gazed up at his commander. " Are you certain you want to find her and bring her back, Optimus? As your friend I must remind you that she broke your spark."

" That's why I must find her, Ratchet," the Prime replied.

Ratchet blinked at him in confusion. That wasn't cryptic at all. Still, the medic knew that that was all he was going to get out of him, so he simply turned back to the computer and continued the search. " All… right then."

Optimus continued to watch on as Ratchet tried frequency after frequency with no results. " _Come on, Hunter_," he thought. " _Where are you, my shooting star?_"

* * *

She was up on the bluffs now with a railing to her right, blocking off the steep drop-off. The sun was just starting to set in the west and a few stars were beginning to peek out in the sky. Hunter began to wonder what she was going to do once night fell. She was already starting to have trouble with keeping her eyes open because she'd barely gotten any sleep the night before, so she couldn't drive all night. Besides being tired, her stomach was rumbling terribly. The teenager silently cursed herself for not planning ahead before running out of the house.

Suddenly a new problem arose on the list: the motorcycle started sputtering.

Eyes darting down to the gas gauge, Hunter's stomach plunged once saw that she was well passed empty. " No, no, no, no!" she groaned. How could she have forgotten to check the tank for gas?! Then again, it went along with everything else that she hadn't planned ahead on, so why not? It seemed fitting enough.

The engine finally cut out, and Hunter—being lucky enough to be going down a slight slope—coasted the bike along before pulling off into a little rest stop of sorts and parking it. Hopping off the motorcycle, the teenager ripped off her helmet, groaning in frustration. Why did all the bad stuff have happen to _**her**_?! " You stupid piece of slag!" she roared, kicking the front wheel of the bike. Unfortunately, she wasn't watching her strength and kicked it so hard that she caused the tire to blow out. For a split second, Hunter stared in disbelief at the flat tire, one of her eyes twitching, completely silent. The veins in her head and neck started to stick out. Then, with a roar of complete anger, she slammed the helmet against the ground and twined her fingers in her long fiery hair as though to rip it all out. Cursing in both Latin and Cybertronian, she lifted her head to the sky and fumed, " **ARE YOU FRAGGIN' SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!** **COME ON! WHAT THE PIT DID I EVER DO TO YOU?!** **JEMINEY CHRISTMAS!**"

Still cursing, Hunter stormed across the rest area up onto the small ridge of rocks that acted as a wall to block off the steep cliff. Fists clenched tightly at her sides, she looked back to the darkening sky. " Is this why you chose me to be the Fuser?!" she bellowed, throwing her arms off to the side as her voice echoed in the canyon below. " So you could make my life an absolute living hell, is that it?! Huh?! Well, I'm here to tell you that _**I am**_ _**sick and tired**_ of it! My life's messed up enough without you shouldering in on it! I'm a foster kid with a juvenile record and an absolutely terrible life until..." Hunter's voice faltered off as she tried to swallow the sudden lump in her throat. Tears blurred her vision. " Until I came here," she continued on a little bit more quietly. " I came to Jasper and I finally found people who actually cared about me. I finally found him," Hunter thought of Optimus, and a warm sensation came over her. A slight smile tugged at her lips, and she whispered, " I was happy." But her smile soon receded as the anger came back, and she was yelling again. " You hear me—I was happy! For the first time in as long as I can remember, I was actually happy! I actually thought that I might finally have a family, and then _**you**_ come in and all of a sudden I'm some sort of alien superhero with sixteen lives?! I don't _**want**_ to be the Fuser! I don't _**want**_ to be the savior! I've got enough problems of my own without having to worry about the problems of billions of others!"

A sob escaped Hunter before she could catch it, and she had to turn away and bury her face in her hands in order to regain her composure. After a moment, she turned back to the sky again. Staring up at the brightest star in the sky at the moment, she began to call out again, though she wasn't really sure whom she was calling to. It couldn't be Primus again; that much she knew. Maybe it was Optimus or even her father. Both had made the promise of being there for her whenever she needed them: Optimus just a few nights ago and earlier that day, and her father at some point in her early life—it was one of the few things she could remember about him. " You said you'd always be there for me!" she shouted in an angry tone. Then the anger left her and she hung her head in defeat. " But you're not. And it's because of me. I'm such a coward, and now I'm paying for it. This is _**my**_ fault. It's all my fault…" her voice faltered off and she sank into a sitting position. Hugging her knees to her chest and resting her head on them, she began to weep.

A small crackling sound brought Hunter out of her distraught state and she looked around. Another crack was heard and a slight tremor went through the rock she was seated on. The fifteen-year-old slowly shifted her weight and started to stand, looking around to see what was happening. That's when the entire ledge of the cliff gave way. With a scream, Hunter fell and tumbled down the side of the drop off, disappearing into the dark canyon below.


	22. Open Eyes

** Once again I like to thank all of you for favoriting and reviewing and following and everything, especially after my... little mishap yesterday with the chapter complication. Once I've finished this story I'll either have to go back and personally thank everyone of you or else just put up one big 'thank you' note at the end of this... probably the latter. XD**

** Thatonegamergirl—I'm glad you enjoy it so much and thank you. Music's been a part of my life since I was just a baby and I wanted to introduce people to some music that maybe they've never heard before.**

** I'd reply to all of your responses, but in all honesty I either have nothing else to say to them besides 'thank you' or give away spoilers. So I'll just leave it at that. :)**

** Oh, and BTW, brownie points to anyone who can identify the movie that greatly influenced this chapter. Emphasis on the 'greatly'. I can't take complete credit for all the ideas or even lines in this chapter. XD**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Sound the bugle now; tell them I don't care. There's not a road I know that leads so anywhere. Without a light I fear that I will stumble in the dark. Lay right down; decide not to go on. Then from on high, somewhere in the distance… there's a voice that calls remember who you are. If you lose yourself… your courage soon will follow. So be strong tonight. Remember who you are…" Bryan Adams; _Sound the Bugle _

20

Ω Open Eyes Ω

Optimus found no sleep that night. Silently, he roved the halls and corridors of the base, his processor on overdrive as he thought of Hunter. The Prime had come to the conclusion several hours ago that he wasn't worried; he was delirious. Since the call from Sarah that afternoon, they had all been searching for Hunter, but had never found a trace of her. Ratchet, of course had tried, locking onto her signal—a fruitless attempt. Before they had come back to base, the others—much to some of their disdain, Optimus was sure—had driven the roads looking for her: another futile tactic. Optimus and the humans had even tried calling her cell phone but she'd either had it turned off or had left it behind because she hadn't answered.

" This is my fault," the Prime whispered to himself as he continued to pace. " I never should have gone to the ranch this morning. If I hadn't she wouldn't have become upset and run away." As he entered the main room of the base Optimus looked up to the clock on the wall.

Midnight; Hunter had been missing for nearly eight hours!

That fact, along with the fact that Hunter was somewhere out there _**alone**_ at night, almost drove Optimus from delirium to sheer hysteria. His mind raced thought countless scenarios of things that could happen to her. Car crashes, becoming stranded, getting lost, thugs; his processor came up with dozens more, each one becoming more and more ridiculous—Optimus knew he'd really lost it when he imagined her getting attacked by a pack of rabid coyotes. He practically had to slap himself to get himself to calm down. The red and blue Autobot told himself that Hunter would be fine; that she wasn't a helpless little girl anymore—not that she had really ever been for as long as he'd known her; that she could handle herself. Besides, if anything did happen to her, he would be able to feel it in their spark-link. But then the cold grip of fear invaded his spark as he remembered a very dangerous and very real threat that still lurked out there: the Decepticons… and Bombardier still with them. His fuel-tank rolled in anxiety.

Hunter was out there alone, confused, and scared to death of herself: a deadly combination. If the Decepticons found her before Team Prime did there was no telling what might play out. And with Bombardier still out there, there was a good chance of them never finding Hunter again. That thought caused a surge of sudden anger and determination to push through the Prime's panic. He clenched his fists. He'd already lost Hunter to the red and black mech once: he wasn't about to let it happen again.

" Optimus?" a small voice suddenly caught the Prime's attention.

Slowly turning towards the catwalk, Optimus found himself looking into the baby blue eyes of Annabelle. He suddenly remembered that the Lennoxes had decided to stay the night at the base in case Hunter called in. Epps, on the other hand, had agreed to spend the night at their house in case Hunter came home. " Annabelle, what are you doing up at this hour?" the Autobot commander inquired to the child. " You should be recharging." His gaze traveled over to the six-year-old's parents who were still asleep on the hide-a-bed—as the humans call it. Apparently, they were in such deep REM stages that they hadn't even realized their daughter and crawled out from between them.

" Can't sleep," Annabella answered simply. She sat down so that her legs were dangling over the side of the catwalk and held on to a post of the handrail, resting her head against it. Her tired eyes drooped to half-mast, and her bleach blond hair was suffering from a very bad case of bed-head.

Optimus couldn't help but gently smile and chuckle to himself. He wondered if Annabelle realized just how much she looked like Hunter at that moment as she leaned wearily up against the railing—a habit Hunter had when she was worn out as well. " Well, in all honesty, young one, neither can I," the Prime admitted. He strode over and sat down beside her. " Did you have a nightmare?" he questioned.

The little girl shook her head. " Worried about Hunter," she stated.

At that Optimus sighed heavily as the worry started to come back. His smile faded. " I am as well, Annabelle," he whispered with a nod of his head.

Annabelle released a shuddery frightened breath and looked at him, eyes now wide and glistening with unshed tears. " Optimus, what if we don't find her?" she barely dared to squeak.

Optimus looked at her and met her gaze. Annabelle had asked the very question he was wondering himself. How was he supposed to answer what he didn't know? Finally, after a long silence, he answered with the only thing he could think of. " We'll find her, Annabelle. I promise." It was a good thing that the child didn't know that he was trying to reassure himself more than he was her.

A little smile suddenly curled the six-year-old's lips. " Because you always find her," she said. " You promised that you would always find her, and that's what you do."

Optimus smiled again. There was a surprising amount of truth behind that statement. He chuckled and nodded. " Yes," he agreed. " That's exactly what I do."

A warm companionable silence fell over the Autobot and child for a moment—having not shared one with Hunter for some time, Optimus rather enjoyed it, even if it wasn't quite the same—and then Annabelle broke it. With innocent eyes, she looked back up at the Cybertronian beside her and cocked her head to the side, studying him for a moment. " Optimus," she finally said, " can I ask you something?"

The Prime looked back at the girl and made a wordless nod.

" You care about Hunter, right?" Annabelle questioned.

" Yes," the mech replied with another nod.

" How much do you care about her?"

Optimus thought for a minute. " I care about her… more than I have ever cared about anything or anyone in my entire lifecycle."

" Do you love her then?"

The Prime was suddenly caught off guard and had to stop and reason. _**Did**_ he love Hunter? He didn't know what to think. He had always been fond of the girl and cared a great deal for her well being, but he had simply attributed that to their friendship and nothing more. Granted friendship held a type of love, but Optimus knew that that wasn't what Annabelle was asking him about right now. She was asking him if he really, truly, sincerely loved Hunter… like a daughter. But did he love Hunter like that? Having never really thought about it, he wasn't sure. Thinking over the past months, Optimus began to analyze every feeling he had ever felt towards his little Hybrid. He thought about every moment they had spent together. He thought about the excruciating pain that he'd felt when he had watched her spark ebb away in his arms. He even thought about the kiss on the forehead that he had given to her earlier that day—or yesterday, as the clock said. Without warning, it hit him. Yes, he did in fact… love her.

Optimus almost slapped himself across the face. He was such an idiot! Why had it taken something like this to open his optics and show him that he didn't just care about Hunter… he loved her? How could he not have seen it before now? How could he have been so blind? The Prime knew now that he loved Hunter more than anything in his entire lifecycle and always would, no matter what. She was his everything: his goal, his drive, his pride and joy, his laughter, his hope. She was a part of him. She was his shooting star. She was… his daughter. _**His**_ daughter.

Meeting Annabelle's eyes again, the Prime nodded. " Yes, Annabelle," he finally answered with a slight smile. " Yes I can honestly say that I do. Hunter is my daughter... my little girl… and I love her more than anything else in the world." His smile suddenly dropped and he looked away. " I'm just sorry to say that it took me this long to realize it, and that I never told her."

" You will, Optimus," Annabelle assured him as she patted his shoulderplate.

The Prime smiled at her yet again. " Thank you for finally opening my optics, Annabelle."

The six-year-old beamed brightly and giggled. " You're welcome."

* * *

_Again she was running, and again she didn't know why. All she knew is that this time, thankfully, there was no rain and that this time she was running through a desert. The sun was blistering hot overhead, and there wasn't a breath of wind. Around her was nothing but empty sand dunes as far as the eye could see. She was completely alone in the expanse. Panting, she turned her thoughts away from being alone and focused on running through the sand. Somehow, someway she had to get out of this godforsaken desert._

_Without warning, there was sudden gust of violent wind that broadsided her, blowing her off her feet. " Oof!" She face-planted into the sand. She knew she had to get up or else she'd die there in the hot sun, but she was so exhausted from running that she didn't want to. Despite the heat, it was so peaceful there. No! No she had to get up; there wasn't a choice! But she was so tired. Maybe if she just laid there for a few minutes and rested her eyes…_

_" Hunter," a soft woman's voice sung out her name._

_The girl slowly started to open her eyes again._

_" Hunter," the voice came again._

_She recognized that voice! " Mom?"_

_" Hunter," that time it was a deep male's voice that sang out._

_" Dad?" The teenager slowly pushed herself up and to her feet. Turning to look behind her she was met with the silhouettes of her parents as they stood within the mouth of a bright warm light. " Mom? Dad? Is it really you?"_

_" Why are you running, Hunter?" her father called out._

_" I don't know…"_

_" Why are you afraid?" her mother quickly cut in._

_" I'm not afraid."_

_" Then why don't_ _you trust your feelings?" both her parents gently demanded._

_"_ _Because… I_ _can't."_

_" Why are you afraid?" they repeated._

_" I said I'm not afraid."_

_" Then trust your spark."_

_" I can't."_

_" Why are you afraid?"_

_" I am not afraid!"_

_" Then trust your spark."_

_" I already told you I can't!"_

_" Why?"_

_" Because I'm af…" her voice faltered as she realized the truth._

_" Hunter," another voice suddenly called out her name._

_She_ _looked over her shoulder to see Optimus standing before her, the sun's rays glinting off his brilliant blue and red armor in such a way that he seemed to radiate the light himself. A small, sad smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. " Optimus…" she choked out, tears glinting in her eyes._

_The Prime smiled warmly at her and held out an inviting hand. " Come with me, my shooting star," he purred lovingly._

_Slowly, she turned and took a step forward, and then another, and another. She reached out to take his hand, but faltered. Pulling her hand back, she looked back over her shoulder towards her parents. " Is this what I'm supposed to do?" she asked them._

_They said nothing._

_" Hunter," Optimus' voice drew her attention again. He gazed at her with a sad and somewhat hurt expression. " Please, sweet-spark, come with me. Please."_

_She gazed into his optics for several long moments, then her eyes slipped down to his open hand before wandering back to her parents. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to go with Optimus, but at the same time she felt that she was betraying her parents by loving somebody else. She'd heard that love was plentiful, but was it right to move on and love someone new? Would she stop loving her real parents? She knew she couldn't go back but at the same time she wasn't sure she could—or should—move forward. She was so confused; what was she supposed to do?_

_" Hunter,"_ _Optimus repeated._

_The girl met his eyes again and held them, then looked back at her parents who continued to silently stand there. She looked down at her guardian's outstretched hand. Tears pricked at her eyes and started to trickle down her cheeks. This was too hard! Tearing her gaze away from the Prime's hand, she turned to the east and began to sprint away again. She hadn't gone fifteen yards when suddenly another terrible gust of wind swooped around and raised up a wall of dust in front of her, steering her back with a vicious wail. Gasping, she turned and ran towards the west._

_Yet again the wind came up and wall of sand got in her way. " You can't keep running away!" the wind shouted through it's howls._

_" I can try!" She spun back around and tried running east again._

_The wind and sand stopped her. " You have to face your destiny!"_

_" I don't want to!" She tried to get away again by running in her parents' direction this time._

_" You can't go back!" the wind shrieked. " You can only move forward!"_

_" I can't!"_

_" You have to!" The wind sounded furious._

* * *

Hunter awoke with a startled gasp and sat up. After a moment, she flopped back down and hid her face in her hands. She sighed heavily. " Oh, man," she whispered. " Talk about a crazy dream. At least this time there wasn't any Bombardier." She sighed again and pulled her hands away from her face as she continued to lay there quietly and stare up at the black velvet and diamond studded sky above her. After a moment her face twisted in bafflement. " Why am I always running in my dreams?" She thought about that question for a moment but then shook her head, deciding to dismiss it until another time.

That's when Hunter suddenly remembered her fall. Sitting up again, the teen craned her neck upward to see just how far she'd fallen, but the night sky was so dark that the cliff face blended in perfectly and she couldn't tell. The fifteen-year-old grumbled under her breath. Great! Just great! Not only had she run out of gas and then gotten a flat tire, now she had fallen into a canyon that she had no idea how to get out of and was going to have to spend the night there! She was just lucky she had been smart enough to snatch Will's leather jacket before running away, because it was actually rather cold. Reaching for her pocket, the teenager planned on bringing out her phone to see just what time it was and how long she had to wait until there was enough light to find her way out of the canyon, but then she remembered... like the friggin' genius she was, she hadn't brought it with her! Growling and cursing herself out again, Hunter flopped back down on the dusty desert floor and muttered, " When I get out of this place, remind me to beat myself to a pulp." Then she released a groan and rubbed her face with her hands, hiding behind them again. " By the AllSpark, I am _**such**_ a dunderhead!"

Suddenly Hunter's ears pricked as her Hybrid hearing picked up the sound of faint singing (for the last week, she had hated her powers and hadn't used them, but some things can't be helped). Sitting up, the redhead squinted and looked off into the night at her right. There up on the top of a small ridge she could just make out the shape of what looked like a small shack, and the sound was coming from inside. " _A hermit_," Hunter thought to herself. She listened again to the song, realizing that he wasn't really singing anything, just utter nonsense. " _And he sings in gibberish. Fantastic_." Already annoyed by the nonsensical carol, Hunter stood, brushed herself off, and marched off in the other direction—even though she knew it was a bad idea to leave her current position when it was this dark.

She must have walked at least a mile when she came to a small grove of scrubby trees and sagebrush. Sighing wearily, she crawled beneath a bush, curled up, and closed her tired eyes, trying to find some sleep, no matter how limited it was. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the singing again… coming from right over the top of her. Scrambling to her feet, Hunter looked up into the tallest of the trees.

A small scrawny man was perched there on one of the branches. He had to have at least two feet shorter than Hunter was, with raggedy faded clothes, and tattered old felt ten-gallon hat, boots that were taped together, and a long gray beard. He was singing the same unintelligible words in the same annoying little tune, and was dancing, even as he sat on the branch. Other than that, however, he wasn't hurting anything.

Deciding that the man wasn't dangerous, just simply bothersome, Hunter lay back down and tried to go back to sleep. The man's singing only seemed to get louder so she rolled over with her back to his tree and covered her ears. His volume increased again. Hunter couldn't take it anymore, and she leaped to her feet, glaring up at the man who had descended lower on the tree. " Come on, will you cut it out?" she growled, stabbing a finger at him. " Some of us are trying to sleep here!" She turned and walked away. She was not in the mood for company.

The little man swung down from the tree. " I can't cut it out," he stated, following after her. " It'll grow right back!" He let out a cackling belly laugh.

Hunter rolled her eyes and shook her head in irritation. Oh, yeah, this guy was _**fun-ny**_! A real _**riot**_! " Creepy little Hybrid," she muttered (she'd caught a glimpse of a Hybrid pendant around his neck and had realized that he, unfortunately, was part of her breed), then she glimpsed the person in question out of the corner of her eye. She whipped around to face him with a snarl. " Wouldja stop following me?! Who the sam heck are you?"

" The real question is," the little man said, pointing up at her and cocking his head so that he almost appeared to be upside-down, " who are _**you**_?"

Hunter's brows furrowed in vexation. She opened her mouth and held up a finger as if to answer him, but nothing came out of her mouth. An expression of first realization and then uncertainty came over her face, and she slumped to the ground in dejection and sat there cross-legged. She held her head in her hands. " I thought I knew," she murmured, voice hardly above a whisper as she stared at the dirt. " Now, I'm not so sure."

" Well, _**I**_ know who you are," the little Hybrid said, plopping down to sit beside her. He grabbed her arm and yanked her down closer so he could whisper in her ear, then put his arm around her shoulders. " Shh, come here," he whispered, still pulling her closer. " It's a secret."

Hunter, almost half-believing that he would tell her who she was and what her purpose in life was, leaned in a hint closer and listened intently. She waited.

The little man looked around as if to make sure nobody else was listening, then he cupped a hand over his mouth and started to whisper. What he whispered to her was his gibberish song.

Hunter's eyes flew open in shock—half from the fact that she had actually believed he could bestow some sort of incredible knowledge upon her, and half from the fact that he was still singing that stupid song—and pulled her head away. She shook her head. Shoving him off her, she jumped to her feet and wiped away the moisture that had collected on her ear from the close proximity to his near toothless mouth. " Ugh! Enough already!" she hollered in frustration. She looked back at him with an utterly bewildered and aggravated look. " What is that even supposed to mean anyway?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

The little man, who had been rolling around on the ground still singing and laughing, suddenly sat up and sent a gummy grin in her direction. " It means that you're a lunatic," he stated simply, " and I'm not." He fell over backwards as he started laughing hysterically again.

Hunter released a slight sardonic laugh and, with another roll of her deep blue eyes, turned around. " Sorry, pal," she huffed walking away, " but I think you're a little confused." Then she thought to herself, " _Probably more than a little senile too._" Suddenly she was knocked flat on her face. Groaning, she rolled over onto her back, only to have the man seat himself upon her chest and shove and long, bony finger in her nose.

" Wrong!" he exclaimed. " _**I'm**_ not the one who's confused. _**You**_ don't even know who you are."

Hunter shoved his finger out of her face and scowled up at him. " Oh, and I suppose_** you**_ know," she declared sarcastically. Scoffing, she shoved the man off again, rolled into a backwards somersault to get to her feet, and started marching off away from him again. She never expected him to reply.

" Sure do," the little guy announced. " You're Comet Thunder's girl."

Hunter gasped and froze mid-step. Her spark skipped a beat and her eyes grew to twice the size of dinner plates. How could he possibly know that? She spun back around to stare at the stranger.

Grinning from ear to ear, the little man waved his hand. " Bye," was all he uttered before he… uh… well, teleported.

Hunter sprinted after him. " Hey!" she called. " Hey, creepy little Hybrid, wait!" The redhead didn't know how far she chased after him until she saw him seated upon a boulder waiting for her and collapsed to the ground beside him (because she hadn't been sleeping or eating well the past few days, she was somewhat out of shape). She panted for breath. " You…" she gasped after a second, "… you knew my dad?"

" Correction," the little man said with a beaming smirk, " I _**know**_ your father."

At that, Hunter's heart sunk and she hung her head, sadness washing over her and crushing all hope. " Look, I hate to tell you this," she barely whispered, " but he… died… a long time ago."

" Nope! Wrong again!" the old Hybrid guffawed. He stood up and teleported away.

Hunter scrambled to her feet and turned, looking every which way for the odd little man. She finally saw him up on a ledge that jutted out a little way from the canyon face. Behind him was what looked like a cave.

He simply grinned and pointed at her. " He's alive, and I'll show him to you. You just follow old Greasy; he knows the way!" And with that he disappeared into the blackness of the cave.

Afraid to lose sight of her guide for more than a second, the fifteen-year-old sprinted for the canyon wall, clambered up an almost non-existent path, and paused on the ledge. Crouching down, she peered into the gloom of the cave. Actually, it wasn't so much a cave as it was more a badly washed out badger hole: she'd have to crawl on her hands and knees to get through, if not her belly. How did Greasy expect her to follow him?

Suddenly the person in question just barely reappeared from the gloom and motioned her after him. " Come on," he encouraged. " Hurry up!" And with that he disappeared again.

" Wait, wait!" Hunter cried after him. She got down on all fours and scrambled into the hole, trying to go as fast as she could. In the minutes that followed, the redhead tried to navigate her way through the maze as best she could. Not able to see anything—even with her Hybrid vision—she listened for the sound of Greasy's distinguishable laugh. She could follow it all right, it's just, the whole time she was trying to keep up, she fell down sudden drops, got smacked in the face by roots, hit her head on the low ceiling, and got caught by her hips in tight squeezes (this was quickly remedied with a quick tug using her superstrength). For some reason her "spider-sense" wasn't working. Finally she squeezed through one more hole and fell into a chasm that was large enough for her to stand up and move. She quickly took up the offer. There was light at the end of the tunnel and she sprinted towards it, only to have Greasy step in front of her at the last second.

" Stop," he said, holding his hand out.

Hunter was so surprised at the abrupt interruption that her feet slid out from under her, and she went skidding to a stop on the seat of her jeans, her face just inches from Greasy's hand.

The old man put a finger to his lips to shush her, and then he trotted ahead through the opening in which the light was coming from. For a moment, he looked down over a ledge then back to her. He pointed. " Come and look, girl," he whispered.

Hunter raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. Rising to her feet, she brushed herself off and slowly stalked forward to stand beside Greasy. As she came through the opening her eyes widened in amazement, and she gasped. It was some sort of old sinkhole that had turned into a cavern. There was a large hole at the top that revealed the starry night sky—which would be where the light was coming from—and at the bottom was a deep, dark pool of water.

After staring at her surroundings in awe, Hunter felt a tug on her arm from Greasy and turned her attention to him. She followed his pointing finger and found a small path that led from the ledge she was standing on now down to the pool. The teen glanced back at Greasy.

" Go and look," he said.

Carefully, Hunter made her way down the path. When she reached the bottom, she slowly padded her way over to the pool, knelt down beside it, and looked into the water per her guide's instructions. The person staring back out at her was herself. Sighing heavily, the teenager pulled back from the water and shrugged her shoulders. " So what's the big deal?" she mumbled, looking up at Greasy who had followed her down. " It's just my reflection—I've seen it a million times before."

" No," Greasy insisted, grabbing her arm and pulling her back to the water. He pointed again. " Look harder."

Giving him a skeptical look, Hunter indulged him by looking back into the water. It was still her reflection in the ripples, but yet… there was something else. Hunter squinted to make it out. Yes, there was a definite face that wasn't hers but still had her red hair and blue eyes. The ripples slightly quieted to let the features of the figure settle into place, and Hunter's eyes widened as she recognized the person. It was… her father!

" Don't you see, child?" Greasy whispered. " _Vivit in vobis._"

Without warning, a sudden breeze started in the cavern, disrupting the water and destroying the reflection as it did. And then, almost like a whisper on the wind, a voice was heard. " Hunter…" it said.

Hunter froze. Was that really…? Slowly, she stood up and looked out into the space above the water. " Daddy?" she whispered in disbelief.

Despite the breeze, a thick silvery mist lifted up in the cavern and a moment later a ghostly figure of a tall, muscular man with a fiery red flat-top, dark blue eyes, and dressed in Marine dress blues appeared out of the fog. His eyes came to the girl's. " Hunter," he repeated in a deep voice that was still warm and soothing, " you've forgotten me."

The teenager quickly shook her head in dismissal. " No," she insisted. " No, I could never forget you, Dad."

" You have denied who you truly are and have abandoned your strength and thus have forgotten me," Comet Thunder explained gently but firmly. " Look inside yourself, Hunter. You are something far greater than what you have allowed yourself to become. You must take your place as the Fuser—it is your destiny and the universe is in need of you."

" But what if I don't want to be the Fuser!" Hunter screeched, tears pricking at her eyes. " What if I don't want the universe to need me! Father, how do you expect me to go back when I'm not who I used to be? How do you expect me to go back when I'm… afraid?" She turned away on the last part, unable to face her father and admit she was scared.

" You must face your fears, Hunter," Comet replied. " It is the only way you will ever be able to face your destiny. It is the only way you will ever be able to defeat the Decepticons." He was silent for a moment as he watched his daughter try to process this when all of a sudden he realized the meaning behind her words. " But your destiny isn't the only thing you're afraid of, is it?" he questioned with a cock of his head.

Hunter simply looked at him out of the corner of her eye before looking back to the ground.

" There's something else," he concluded. " What is it?"

" I think you already know," Hunter snarled, looking back at him.

" Maybe," her father responded with a devil-may-car smirk. " Why don't you tell me anyway?"

" It's… Optimus Prime," the fifteen-year-old muttered, looking away from his powerful gaze again.

" What about the Pri…"

" I've fallen in love with him, okay?!" Hunter abruptly cut him off somewhat angrily. " I've fallen in love with Optimus; he's like a father to me and… and I'm too much of a coward to do anything about it. There, is that what you wanted to hear?" She glared at the Marine and crossed her arms over her chest.

" Partly," Comet chuckled. " Why are you so afraid of this?"

" Because, starting with you, everyone I've ever loved I've lost," Hunter barely choked out, going from angry to dispirited. Primus, her emotions were so haywire anymore she could hardly even recognize herself. " I don't wanna lose him. And at the same time I'm afraid that. if I let myself love him, I'm gonna replace you and Mom with him and then I'd feel like I was… betraying you."

A soft, warm, sympathetic smile spread across Comet Thunder's face. He chuckled to himself. Despite her age, his daughter was still so innocent when it came to love. " Hunter," he said gently, " my sweet child, you have no reason to feel guilty about your feelings towards the Prime."

Hunter looked at her father with a quizzical gaze. " I… don't?" she asked.

Comet chuckled and shook his head. " No," he assured her. " The relationship between Optimus Prime and you was always meant to be, as are your feelings toward him. He is your spark-father, little one; it is only natural for you to become attached to him."

" Spark-father?" Hunter latched on to the word, looking just as baffled.

" Yes," the man replied with a nod. " A spark-father is like the Hybrid version of a godfather, except they are much closer to and share the same physical bond with their spark-children that is shared between a child and its biological creators. Optimus Prime ignited your dormant spark; part of his energy signature now resides within you, thus making him your spark-father. He is now more your father than even I am. You see, Hunter, you were never your mother's nor mine to raise—you always belonged to the Prime. You were always linked to him, even from the moment of your birth."

" But what about you and Mom?" the girl fretted. " Won't my attachment to Optimus hurt both of your feelings?"

Her father's smile only grew larger and he chuckled. " No," he answered simply. " Hunter, Optimus isn't asking you to replace or forget about us. He's simply asking that you make room for him within your spark, and your mother and I understand that. We want you to be happy, sweet-spark, and we know that Optimus will make you happy."

" Okay, that all makes sense, I admit," Hunter confessed with a shrug. " But that still doesn't change the fact that I'm scared of losing Optimus." She added to herself, " _And I still don't want to be the Fuser._"

" Despite what you might think, baby," Comet laughed, " when it comes to love, you're not jinxed."

" Coulda fooled me," Hunter snorted with a slight smirk.

The man smirked with her. " You've simply had a few bumps in the road—met a few bad apples—but this doesn't mean that you should be afraid of or give up on love. Besides, aren't the things you're afraid to lose the things that are the most worth having?"

Hunter looked away, silent, still not quite sure.

" Remember who you are, Hunter," Comet Thunder said. " You're not a coward, and you're not a mistake, no matter what anyone tells you. You are my daughter and the savior for Cybertron and all her inhabitants. You are the last hope. If you do not find a way to face your fears and take your place as Fuser, all is lost." Suddenly the breeze picked up speed and started to whisk away the mist and Comet Thunder with it. " Remember who you are," he repeated, his voice starting to fade as he disappeared.

The fifteen-year-old started to panic. She'd already lost her father once, and she didn't want him to disappear again. She wanted him to stay; she still had more questions. " No, Dad!" she cried, reaching out towards him.

" Remember…"

" Please, don't leave me!"

" Remember…"

" Dad!" Hunter screamed as the last remnants of his presence disappeared.

" Remember…" and like that, Comet Thunder was gone.

" Don't leave me…" Hunter sighed. A few tears trickled down her cheeks. However, despite the fact that her father had left her again, she couldn't say she was as unhappy as she was before she came here. Yes, she still missed her dad—she always would—but now she felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. Her talk with him had left her lighter… more assured. She was relieved of the burden of worrying about hurting her parents or losing love, and she was far more confident about her feelings for Optimus. Not quite confident enough to confess to him yet, she didn't think, but confident enough to move in that direction without having to worry. The only thing that she still wasn't completely sure about this whole 'Fuser' thing. Maybe she'd just focus on the whole 'Optimus-is-your-spark-father-and-you've-been-bonded-to-him-since-the-beginning' thing right now—at least she could handle that much.

As she continued to stare into the spot where her father had been, contemplating on this new information and what her next plan of action was, Hunter was barely even aware that Greasy was still at her side. The old Hybrid looked her up and down for a moment or two with a hint of a satisfied smile. He knew he'd done his job. Slipping back into his senile old hermit routine, he removed his hat, shook his shaggy head of gray hair, and made a shivering sound. " The weather this time of year!" he exclaimed, putting his hat back on. " Most peculiar, don't you think?"

" Yeah," Hunter agreed softly with a thoughtful expression on her face. " Looks like the winds are changing."

" Change is good," Greasy stated philosophically as he stroked his beard.

" That depends on the change, but yeah, usually," Hunter confirmed, looking at him. She looked down into the water to stare at her reflection for a moment as she continued to think things over. " I know what I have to do," she admitted after a few minutes, " but it's not exactly gonna be easy facing my fears. I've been running for them for so long. Besides, this 'being-the-savior' thing still doesn't make any sense. Greasy?" Hunter suddenly realized that the little man was no longer beside her. Standing up, she looked around the hole, but he was no where to be found. " Greasy?" she called again.

Without warning, the strange little Hybrid appeared… right in her face! " Boo!"  
" Yah!" Hunter jumped and stumbled back. She tripped over her feet and crashed to the hard rocky ground. " Jeez! What in the name of Primus was that for?"

" So I scared you then," Greasy noted with a self-satisfied grin.

" Well, duh!" Hunter snapped getting up in a kneeling position and rubbing both her hip and backside. " Primus, you nearly gave me a spark-attack!"

" Ah, yes, fear can have many effects on a person," Greasy agreed as he patted her shoulder sympathetically. "But the way I see it is that you can either let fear run you, or you can run it."

Hunter looked at him in perplexity. " What are you talking about?" she cautiously asked.

" I'm talking about either succumbing to your fears or learning to take control of them," Greasy explained with a gentle smile. " The hard truth of the matter is, child, is that fear is always present; it's in everyone—in you, in me, even in your Prime. Feeling fear is part of what makes us sentient beings. It's completely natural, and there's nothing we can do to stop it—we'd be foolish to try. However, even though we can't stop fear, we can figure out what to do with it."

Hunter simply continued to stare at him in mystification.

" You see, Hunter, there are two kinds of ways to react to fear. First, there's the common coward's way. This is where you simply turn tail and run. You try to outrun the things you're afraid of, and, though it may seem easy, it never really works because fear always catches up with you. And then there's the warrior's way where you confront your fears, master them, take control, and use them as fuel and incentive to fight for and protect what you love and believe in. This may seem hard at first, but I can assure you that it's much more satisfying and much easier in the long run."

The fifteen-year-old blinked at him for a moment. Then a contemplative look came over her and she looked away, puzzling it out. That was when, without warning, Greasy shapeshifted—yes, shapeshifted!—in a diamond-back rattlesnake and lunged for her with out flung fangs. Hunter shrieked with horror and, without really even thinking, grabbed him and flung him against the wall of the cavern. She watched as the snake slammed into the wall and then fell to the floor, turning back into Greasy as it did.

Painfully grinning from ear to ear Greasy let loose a wheezing laugh. " Ah-ha!" he exclaimed in triumph. " See? Now what are you going to do?"

Glowering at the small man, Hunter stood, stomped over to him, reached down, picked him up by the front of his shirt, and held him closer to her face. " First of all," she growled sinisterly, " I'm gonna throw you in the water." With that, she turned and flung him out into the pool.

" Wha—wait! No, no, no! Not the water!" Greasy howled. He teleported back to solid ground just before he hit the water and put his fists on his hips, glaring after the girl as she scrambled as fast as she could up the path back to the ledge and back into the cave. " And just where do you think you're going then?" he demanded after her.

" I'm goin' back!" Hunter shouted over her shoulder, the hint of a smile in her voice.

" Fine!" Greasy bellowed at her with a wave of his hands and a mile-wide grin plastered to his face. " Go on! Get outta here! Whoo!" He laughed and cheered and whooped as he jumped up and down in the air in celebration. " Whoo! Go on, kid! _Ostende nobis vere sunt_!

* * *

Latin Translation:

_Vivit in vobis— He lives in you._

_Ostende nobis vere sunt— Show us who you really are._


	23. The Return

** Okay, first off, brownie point distribution!**

** Skyress98—Brownie points for you!**

** Guest (whoever you are)—Brownie points for you!**

** roserain1998—Brownie points for you too!**

** HAHA! Now, on with the story. Oh yeah, and Starscream is **_still _**a creep_._**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Yeah! You're a soldier now... fighting in a battle. To be free once more—yeah, that's worth fighting for...!" Bryan Adams; _Sound the Bugle _

21

Ω The Return Ω

The Next Day (On the Nemesis)

Starscream was alone in the bridge of the warship, watching, yet again, the recording of the fight that had played out between Bombardier and the Hybrid femme a little over a week ago. Every time he came to a part where Bombardier had jerked Hunter up by the shirt, 'Scream would immediately pause the recording and stare at the frame for hours on end. With fanatic captivation, he studied her, his red optics running over every inch of her body. He loved the smooth hourglass curve of her waist. He desired those long, graceful, muscular legs of hers. He craved for those delicate but strong features of her face. He yearned to feel her well-developed chest against his. He even enjoyed that long, fiery red matter that sat atop her head. 'Hair' isn't that what it was called? But he nearly lost all control over himself when he zoomed in on the shots of her shapely abdomen as the light glistened off the sweat that had coated her belly. No two ways about, Starscream had become absolutely obsessed with Hunter, and it didn't matter whether she was in human, Autobot, or vehicular form, he wanted her… _**badly**_.

The Seeker was staring at yet another frame of Hunter's bare stomach and was about to go weak in the knees at the tension when all of a sudden he heard the doors open. As quickly as he could he shut down the recording and turned to see Bombardier striding towards him. " Bombardier," he nervously chuckled. " Wh-what are you doing here?"

Bombardier simply smirked at the other 'Con. He had seen the screen right before Starscream had shut it down, and Starscream's 'caught-with-his-hand-in-the-cookie-jar' expression was more than enough evidence to back it up. The bounty hunter knew about 'Scream's obsession with Hunter, and he was sure that many of the other Decepticons aboard this ship knew about it too, except, unlike them, he didn't try to keep it on the DL. He wasn't afraid of the self-appointed Decepticon Lord, in spite of how treacherous he claimed to be. Besides, Bomber was just as insidious. Chuckling, the red and black mech gibed, " Makin' our daily arousal quota there, 'Screamy boy?"

Starscream's faceplate burnt beet red in both embarrassment and anger. " Just what are you implying, Bombardier?" he snarled.

" Oh, I'm not implyin' anything," the other mech assured him. " I'm tellin'. It ain't exactly a secret that you're a little hot on Fuser-girl there."

" I am no such thing!" the Seeker nearly squealed.

" Suit yourself," the bounty hunter shrugged. " Just realize that the more ya try to deny it, the more I know it's true."

Starscream clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked and released an enraged growl as he glared at the black and red mech. This guy was absolutely infuriating! " Is this why you came in here?" he inquired with a growl. " To mock me?"

" Nope," Bomber said with a shake of his head. " That's just a bonus. I came in here to ask ya what ya wanted to do about your crush. We've located her again, and from the looks of it she's come to grips with what she is and is ready to rejoin the Autobots. With both her and the Prime in their ranks, you can only imagine the kind of firepower the 'Bots'll acquire."

It was only then that Starscream slipped into his conniving, calculating self and started thinking. Turning away from a moment, he stroked his chin and thought. They had to find a way to keep Hunter from falling back in leagues with the Autobots, but how could they do that? She would never join them—their past attempts on her life had made sure of that. It was a known fact that Hybrids were insusceptible to brainwashing—and Hunter was already too hardheaded and stubborn for brainwashing—so that idea was out. They're only hope was luring her out to capture her and keep her as a prisoner. If they did that she wouldn't be a threat anymore and they'd be able to use her as leverage to get to the Autobots—Prime especially. They could "hit two birds with one stone" as the humans said; it was the perfect plan. The only question was of how to accomplish it. What could they use as bait? It'd have to be something they knew for sure could lure her in.

For several long minutes, Starscream picked his brain for an answer. Finally it hit him. A deranged grin slowly crept across his faceplate and an evil chuckle rumbled up out of his throat. He turned to Bombardier. " I believe I have the solution," he announced. " You know of the three humans the Autobots befriended, correct?"

* * *

Jasper High School

It was lunchtime, and Jack, Miko, and Raf sat at their usual table in the courtyard. None of them spoke or ate. They weren't missing out on much—the menu today was mushy mac'n'cheese, green beans, and rubber ham—and even if there had actually been something good, let alone _**edible**_, for lunch they still wouldn't have eaten. None of them was in the mood today; they were all too busy worrying about Hunter. Yes, that right, even Miko—who had still been mad over the fact that Hunter had beaten up on Bulkhead—was worried. The truth was that they had never actually stopped caring about Hunter after her transformation. In their hearts, they were still her friends (well, Miko hadn't been for the last week or so because of the Bulkhead incident) they had simply just… distanced themselves from her because they hadn't known how to act around her now that she was a Hybrid. Or _**aware**_ she was a Hybrid anyway—she'd always been one.

After several long, silent minutes of picking at his food, Raf put down his fork and looked up at his two older friends. Worry was in his brown eyes. " Do you think she's all right?" he asked.

Miko and Jack looked at him and then exchanged a quick unsure glance. " I'm sure she's fine, Raf," Jack assured the younger boy with a halfhearted smile.

" Yeah, come on, Raf," Miko added, also trying to smile. " What'cha so worried for? This is Hunt we're talkin' 'bout here! Red just went out for a little road trip to clear her head, that's all. I'll bet you she's even on her way back home right now."

" But what about the Decepticons?" Raf pointed out. "What if they kidnapped her… or worse?"

" Raf, if that had happened the 'Cons probably would've tried to use her as bait to bring the 'Bots out into the open," Jack reasoned. " We would've known about it."

" Yeah, and besides, Hunter's a smart chick," Miko interjected. " She would've gotten away from 'em."

Just then, they all released a loud, heavy sigh and looked back down at their plates in despair. None of them could quite believe a single word that had come out of their mouths.

" I can't imagine what the Lennoxes must be feeling," Jack breathed after a moment.

" The Lennoxes?" Miko scoffed. " What about Optimus? The boss 'Bot loved Hunter more than anyone else ever did."

" He must be worried sick," Raf concluded.

" More like out of his mind," Jack corrected. Having seen the tear-stains on the Prime's face that one fateful day, the sixteen-year-old knew exactly just how much Optimus loved the young Hybrid.

Several hours later the three friends were at the park, studying for assorted tests they all had the next day (Miko hadn't been in much of a mood to get detention), however there wasn't exactly much studying going on. Jack lay across an old park bench, staring at the sky with his biology book laying on his stomach, wide open, forgotten. Raf was sitting cross-legged on the concrete basketball court a few feet away, his chemistry binder and homework spread out but unnoticed. Miko laid in the grass beside the slab, resting her head on her history book as she flicked a pencil back and forth across the cement. They were as quiet and downtrodden as ever. Hunter's presence was most definitely missed; the group just didn't seem to be complete without her. Of course it hadn't really felt complete since her transformation—they all knew that was their fault. How could they have been so cold and heartless as to push Hunter away? Some friends they were. They wouldn't blame Hunter if she never spoke to them again... if she ever came back home, that is.

Suddenly they heard the sound of a motorcycle.

Jack was the first to sit up and look, expecting to see Arcee's sleek blue and black vehicular mode complete with holographic driver coming to pick him up so they could go home. Instead he was met with someone quite different, but just as welcome. For a moment, the boy openly stared in disbelief, eyes wide and jaw dropped—he couldn't believe his eyes!—then a beaming grin spread across his face. Before he could stop himself, the sixteen-year-old was on his feet and sprinting in her direction. It was too good to be true! " Hunter!" he laughed joyously. " Hunter!"

Miko and Raf, who hadn't really noticed his reactions, now looked up and out towards the street. Bright grins parted their lips and, soon, they too were up and running. " You're back!" they shouted in unison.

Dismounting the motorcycle (when Hunter had made it back up the cliff to the motorcycle, she had found it fixed and gassed up—Greasy's work she had guessed), Hunter slipped off her—or rather Will's—helmet and hung it on one of the handlebars. She turned back to respond to her friends' comments, only to be practically crashed into and pulled into an extremely tight embrace by Jack with Miko and Raf soon following suit. She laughed and hugged back.

The four friends held the group hug for several long minutes before finally breaking it.

" You came back," Jack sighed, hands still on her shoulders.

The fifteen-year-old giggled. " Of course I came back," she replied, putting her fists on her hips and giving them all a sly grin. " Somebody had to make sure you three stayed out of trouble, and besides, I just couldn't stay away. Jasper's grown on me. Ow!" Hunter rubbed her shoulder where Miko had just punched her. It didn't really hurt (her being a Hybrid and everything); the reaction was just more one of habit. She turned and gave her friend a befuddled look.

" That's for beating up Bulkhead!" Miko snarled, getting the last of that grudge out of her system. She punched the redhead again. " And that's for running away!" She hit her one more time. " And that's for worrying everybody, including _**me**_!"

Hunter stared at her and waited for a second. When nothing more came, she raised an eyebrow and asked, " Are you done now?"

Miko simply nodded and smirked impishly.

Scoffing, Hunter turned to look at the two boys. " How 'bout you two?" she questioned. " You guys got anything you wanna get off your chests? Apparently, I've been turned into a punching bag."

Both boys laughed and shook their heads 'no'.

Nodding her head in satisfaction, Hunter sighed and sat back on the bike seat, getting ready for the onslaught of questions she was sure were soon to follow. She was right.

"…!"

" Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down!" Hunter laughed, holding up her hands to stop her friends who were all talking at once. " One at a time, now. I can only answer one at a time."

" What were you thinking running away, Hunter?" Jack demanded, anger apparent in his voice. " We were worried sick! We didn't know what was going to happen to you or if we would ever see you again."

Hunter closed her eyes, hung her head, and sighed. " I know," she admitted softly. " I know you were, and I'm sorry for causing you that much grief." Smiling sheepishly, the redhead opened her eyes and took them all into her gaze. " I wasn't thinking," she answered Jack's question with a shrug, " and that's the problem. At least, I wasn't thinking of anyone but myself. Running away was stupid and selfish and wrong and I'm sorry. I know that really doesn't help matters, but it's all I can offer. I'm sorry."

" Why did you run away anyway?" Raf questioned.

Hunter shrugged. " I was scared," she admitted with a small laugh.

" Scared of what?" Raf continued to search for understanding.

" Everything," the girl sighed with a shake of her head. " Being the Fuser... Optimus... just..." she shrugged once more, "... everything."

" Optimus?" Jack broke in, confused.

Hunter turned back to him and smiled bashfully again, her face blushing as red as her hair. " You were right, Jack," she admitted. " That conversation you and I had the other day," she clarified when he continued to look perplexed. " You were right. I am in love with Optimus. I do think of him as my father and… that's what scared me."

" Why?" Miko asked.

" When it comes to love of any kind," the redhead explained, " I kinda got a bad track record. One way or another, I've lost everyone I've ever loved: friends, my dad… just everyone. I was scared that if I let myself love Optimus I'd lose him too, and I didn't want that to happen. I was also kinda worried that if I loved him I might forget about my real parents."

" So what helped you overcome that?" Raf quizzed.

" It's… kind of a long story," Hunter chuckled. She knew that her friends would never be able to understand how she had seen and talked with her father. Honestly she didn't really understand it either. " Basically I had a talk with someone and he helped clear it up for me."

" So why'd you come back?" Miko finally asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

Hunter sighed yet again and thought about the answer for this one long and hard. Why had she really decided to come back? A sudden smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she remembered what Greasy had told her, and the answer became apparent. " I'm a warrior," she said more to herself than to anyone else.

The other three kids exchanged a confused look and then turned back to the fifteen-year-old seated on the motorcycle who in turn was smiling at the sky. " Huh?" they all voiced at the same time.

Hunter looked at their expressions and laughed, realizing that she'd really puzzled them now. " It's just something that somebody told me," she cleared up. " Essentially it means that I'm back and here to stay no matter what the future may be."

" So you're not afraid anymore," Jack summarized.

" Nope, I'm still afraid," Hunter retorted. " Fear is part of what makes us sentient, and there's nothing we can do to stop it. My fear hasn't really changed, it's my reaction to it that's different. I'm not running from my fear anymore, I'm facing it—taking it head on."

Jack, Miko, and Raf stared at her in awe. " Wow," Jack whistled after a moment. " You're being really mature about this."

Hunter blushed again and shrugged bashfully. " Yeah, well, as much as I'd like to, I can't take all the credit. Somebody else had to point it out and explain it all to me."

" So..." Miko said after a moment, a quizzical look on her face, " does this mean that you've accepted being the Fuser now?"

A look of cautiousness and uncertainty suddenly shadowed the redhead's face. She still wasn't completely sure about the 'Fuser' thing, and she wasn't sure if she ever would be. It was still kind of uncomfortable to talk about. " I..." she stammered after a minute, "... I'm not sure yet." She swallowed hard and averted her eyes from her friends'. " It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me, and... well..." Hunter dropped off and sighed. She looked to the sky, trying to pull her thoughts together in order to try and form some semblance of a tactful answer. " I'm not saying I'm denying it," she stated slowly after a moment, looking back to the pavement and tapping her foot nervously, " and I'm not saying I'm accepting it. All I'm saying is that..." she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, still tapping her foot, "... is that I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, and I haven't reached it yet."

" Oh," was all the other three had to say.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the four children, only broken by the sound of Hunter's fingers nervously drumming against the motorcycle seat.

Suddenly Hunter was bitten by the question bug herself and looked expectantly at her friends. " How's everyone else?"

The tension was broken and they were all relieved.

" Worried," Jack, Miko, and Raf answered.

" Even the 'Bots?"

" Well," Jack cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head awkwardly, " not them really."

" Knew it," Hunter muttered someone disheartened.

" Fowler got wind of it too," Miko reported.

" I'll bet he wasn't worried either," Hunter grumbled in annoyance. She still didn't like the government agent and she'd only ever had the pleasure of meeting him that one time. Not that he hadn't been to the base since then, it's just that Hunter had conveniently been elsewhere at the time of his visits. Optimus had made sure of that, for her sake.

" Nope," the Japanese girl validated. " He started calling you a criminal all over again.

" Tsh, figures," the fifteen-year-old snarled into her shoulder. She looked back at her friends again, forgetting about the man. " What about the Lennoxes and Epps?"

" Both really worried," Raf answered. " The Lennoxes stayed at the base last night in case you called in and Epps stayed at their house in case you came home."

" Is Will mad that I jacked his motorcycle?" Hunter barely managed to squeak with a flinch.

" Not at the moment," Raf assured her.

" But he probably will be once he gets over being relieved that you're back home and safe," Miko added.

Hunter sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes. " Well, I guess I deserve that," she confessed.

" Yeah," Jack agreed with a shrewd smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest. " Yeah, ya really do."

The girl glared at him. " It's not enough that I have to admit to it, you gotta go and rub my nose in it too?"

The boy just continued to smirk at her.

Finally the redhead sighed and hid her face behind her hand once again. " Okay," she admitted begrudgingly. " I deserve that too." Suddenly another very important question came across her mind and she looked again at Jack in anticipation. " What about Optimus?" she barely managed to whisper, concern evident in her voice.

Jack's sly smile slipped away, knowing that his friend needed him to be sincere as possible with this answer. " I wasn't there," he shrugged, " but I'm willing to bet that he didn't sleep at all last night. I've never seen anyone so worried in my entire life. He was losing his mind over you, Hunter."

Painful guilt shadowed over Hunter's beautiful face and her deep blue eyes glistened with tears. Biting her lip, the fifteen-year-old gazed down at her shoes. Never in her entire life had she felt as ashamed and remorseful as she did at that very moment. What she had done to Optimus… all of the pain and worry and fear that she had put him through had been so utterly, unabashedly, criminal and cruel and… She was so. Totally. _**Completely**_. Selfish. " I have to see him," she whispered. The redhead looked back up at her friends. " I _**need **_to see him."

They all lightly smiled and nodded.

" I think he'd like that," Jack murmured.

Hunter half-smiled and nodded. That was when her nerves abruptly tingled with sharp intensity and an image of a Vehicon flashed through her mind. She glanced over her shoulder. " No," she whispered as her stomach plummeted when she caught a shimmering glint of dark purple, a color she knew all too well.

" Hunter?" Raf asked.

The girl didn't reply, simply kept watching the car that was parked along the curb at the far end of the street.

" Hunter?" Miko repeated her name.

That time Hunter just barely managed to utter one word. " Run."

" Hunter, what is it?" Jack questioned nervously.

The car's engine suddenly turned over.

" Run," Hunter repeated a little louder this time.

" What is it?" all three kids asked in unison.

At the same time the car put it in gear and peeled out from its parking spot.

" Run!" Hunter screamed, whipping forward on the motorcycle and jamming her helmet on. " Run! Just run!" She started the motorcycle and peeled out from the curb, performing a wheelie in order to get the job done. Without thought or hesitation she barreled down the street towards the oncoming Vehicon.

Realizing what was going on, Jack grabbed Miko and Raf and yanked them off down the street. " Come on!" he yelled.

In her rearview mirror, Hunter watched her friends disappear, then her eyes flicked back up towards the car. She snarled, her lips pulling back to bear her teeth behind the helmet. She knew what this 'Con wanted—she didn't know how she knew, she just did—but if he wanted her friends, he'd have to go through her to get them. He'd be insane to try! " You want somma this, 'Con?!" she raged. " Well, you sure as pit got it!" Pouring on more gas, the fifteen-year-old squealed towards him. Suddenly her nerves tingled again and the image of yet another 'Con came to her. Looking off to her right, Hunter barely had time to gasp before she was slammed into by the other mech. Both she and the motorcycle went flying through the air and landed atop dually pickup.

The pickup promptly exploded, along with _**every other**_ vehicle that was parked in the line up.

As the first Decepticon raced on down the street after the kids, the second transformed to his original form and stomped his way across the street towards the smoldering wreckage. Priming a cannon, he aimed into the ruins, ready to blast away whatever came out of there. He waited patiently. Finally, after several long moments, some of the rubble started to rumble and quake. All at once a chunk of metal was launched into the air. The 'Con ducked out of the way as it flew by his head. He watched as it slammed into the side of a building and hit the sidewalk, then he turned back to the wreckage.

Groaning, Hunter shoved another piece of rubble off herself then sat up and took off the helmet. She grimaced at the slight ache that was starting to come over her… well, everywhere. That's when she felt herself cast in shadow, and, after hearing the distinct whine of a charging cannon, looked up. The girl snarled. " You just made me destroy my friend's motorcycle," she growled gutturally.

The 'Con just shoved his cannon closer.

" You'll pay for that. Rah!" Hunter lunged for the 'Con, razors extracted from her knuckles. In the blink of an eye she'd sliced off his cannon arm at the elbow joint and was going for his head. With two quick moves he was decapitated. His head fell to the ground, his body crashing after it and Hunter leaping down to the pavement at the same time. Retracting her razors, Hunter turned to view the sparkless shell one last time before giving a satisfied nod, transforming into her Autobot form and then quickly her vehicular mode, and racing off down the street after the other Decepticon. " _Hang on, guys_," she thought out to her friends. " _Just hang on!_"

* * *

The Lennoxes had gone home several hours ago, Optimus and the team were out battling with Decepticons, and Ratchet was all by his lonesome at the base. Not that the white and amber field medic minded it; he rather liked the peace and quiet and could actually get some work done. For once! As it was, he was working on yet _**another**_ piece of equipment that Bulkhead had managed to destroy, and was right in the middle of making some very sensitive calibrations when suddenly the tone for the emergency frequency sounded off.

/ _**Hunter to Autobot Outpost; Omega One,**_/ Hunter's urgent voice came on over the frequency, / _**is anybody there?**_/

Acting on sheer habit, Ratchet huffed and looked up from his work for a brief second to address her. " Hunter," he groaned, " I swear you're as bad as Miko. We need to leave this frequency open for the Auto…" that's when it clicked in his processor of who he was talking to. " Hunter? Hunter, is that really you?"

/ _**Well, duh!**_/ snapped the response. / _**Who else would it be?**_/

" You're back? Where in the AllSpark have you been?!"

/ _**Long story—now listen! I'm here in Jasper riding the tail of a 'Con who's goin' after the kids. I've taken one out already and this one shouldn't be any different, but I got a feeling that there's gonna be a lot more coming. I need backup.**_/

" Right away," Ratchet replied with a nod. " Of course, it will take me a little time. The Autobots are out on a mission on another continent and…"

/ _**I don't care, Ratchet, just get it done! NOW!**_/ And with that the link was shut down.

The medic stood there for a few seconds, staring up at the computer, surprisingly excited and relieved that Hunter was back and safe. Then he remembered the situation at hand. Focusing, he rushed to the computer, opened the comm-link frequency as quickly as he could, and called for Hunter's requested backup.

* * *

Optimus crouched behind a large boulder, waiting for the rain of cannon fire to dwindle down before returning fire on the dozen Decepticons that were shooting off said cannon fire. When the break came, he stood up, aimed, and fired. Even with his quick near-blind aim, the Prime hit five of the 'Cons: four dropping dead immediately, the fifth falling mortally wounded. The Autobot commander shot off a few more rounds and then ducked back behind his cover, just narrowly missing being hit in the head by a laser. Huddling down, the 'Bot's processor drifted to his team. He silently wondered how they were doing—they'd all been separated sometime in the fight—and if they were all right. The sooner he took out his aggressors, the sooner he could go find out. Another break in the fire came, and he whipped around to start shooting again. He'd only shot off a couple rounds when Ratchet broke in over the comm-system.

/ _**Optimus, come in!**_/ the medic's voice sounded urgent.

Optimus growled and cursed. Ratchet may have been his oldest friend, but the old Autobot had to have the absolute worst sense of timing this side of the universe! Still shooting, the mech opened his comm-link and answered—it was just a good thing he could multi-task. " This is not the best time, Ratchet," he declared, his voice heavy with tired patience.

/ _**I think you'll change your mind once I explain why I've contacted you.**_/

" Enough with the riddles, Ratchet!" Optimus snapped, just managing to dodge a laser. " Spit it out!"

/ _**Hunter is back.**_/

Optimus froze mid-fire. Had he actually heard that right? Did Ratchet really just say what he thought—indeed hoped—he had? Pulling his cannon back, Optimus crouched back down behind the rock as more red cannon fire exploded around him. " Come again?" he asked, focusing in on Ratchet's voice.

/ _**Optimus, Hunter's back.**_/

Behind his battle-mask, the Prime grinned a mile wide. A wave of relief and joy flooded his spark and warmed him from the inside out. So his audio-receptors hadn't deceived him—she really was back! Optimus released a sigh as the weight of dread that had been sitting on his chest ever since they'd discovered Hunter had run away was lifted. " How is she, Ratchet?" he questioned, his voice slightly cracking as he blinked tears of joy away from his optics. " _How is my little girl?_" he questioned quietly inside his head.

/ _**She's in trouble, Optimus,**_/ the answer came.

Suddenly the relief and joy was swept away from the Autobot commander's spark as a new feeling of dread settled itself there. Trouble—with Hunter that could only mean one thing. " What is it, Ratchet?" Optimus asked, already knowing he knew the answer, but still hoping that he was wrong.

/ _**Decepticons are after the children, and I'm afraid she's going to have her hands full. She requested backup.**_/

As soon as Ratchet had explained that 'Cons were after the kids, a wriggling feeling of suspicion had taken shape in the back of Optimus' processor. Something didn't feel right. This battle, how the 'Cons were in Jasper at this very moment... there was just something to all of it that made his circuits prickle. It just... it just didn't feel right. The Prime decided to think about it later after they helped Hunter. " Bridge us back to base, Ratchet. Now," he ordered.

/_** Right away, Optimus.**_/ And with that, Ratchet closed the link.

Optimus continued to crouch behind the boulder for a moment longer, thinking on that nagging suspicion in the back of his head. There was just something fishy about all of this. Shaking his thoughts away, the Autobot suddenly stood up and started firing on the remaining seven Decepticons as he put a hand to his headset and opened his comm-link once again. " Autobots, fall back!" he ordered into it as he took down four more 'Cons and kept firing. " We are bridging back to base."

/ _**What's up, boss 'Bot?**_/ Bumblebee was first to return.

" We have been requested for backup."

/ _**Back up?**_/ that was Arcee. / _**For who?**_/

/ _**Yeah, we're the only 'Bots on this planet who are in the middle of a battle,**_/ Bulkhead put in.

" Hunter is back," Optimus answered, finishing off the last of the Decepticons, " and she is in need of our help." For several long moments, silence was all that could be heard over the frequency. Optimus was willing to bet that the rest of his team were all cursing over the present situation.

/ _**Uh, all due respect, Optimus,**_/ Arcee finally said, / _**but we're all a little busy right now.**_/

/ _**Yeah, we finally got these 'Cons backed into a corner,**_/ 'Bee agreed.

/ _**What would be the point of retreating when we're already so close to victory here?**_/ Bulkhead asked.

Optimus rolled his optics and quietly cursed at his team's excuses for not rushing to Hunter's aid. " The children are in danger as well," he added firmly and harshly, knowing that they couldn't ignore that.

Silence once again seeped in over the link.

/ _**We're all behind you, boss 'Bot,**_/ Bulkhead returned after a minute.

" Then fall back. I'm sending you the rendezvous coordinates now."

* * *

The Nemesis

Starscream watched on the screen as the Autobots regrouped. He saw their ground-bridge suddenly appear, and he continued to watch as they disappeared through the green swirling vortex. When their bridge had disappeared, he opened up the comm-link frequency and announced into it, " Decepticons, fall back and return to the ship. Your task is finished." He closed it and continued to sneer at the unoccupied earth below. An evil snicker rose up from his throat. His fool-proof plan was well underway. It was only a matter of time now.


	24. Into the Fire

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

Henry Jackman; _The Burning Bridges_

22

Ω Into the Fire Ω

Jack's heart hammered in his ears. His lungs burned as he continued to tow Raf and Miko down the street at top speed. They'd gotten a decent head start thanks to Hunter's warning, but the 'Con was still gaining on them fast, and no matter how many times they'd tried to ditch him, the stupid mech had always found them again. The sixteen-year-old heard the sound of squealing tires and glanced over his shoulder to see the dark purple and silver car skidding around the corner. He turned his attention forward and tried to go faster yet. " Come on!" he bellowed, tightening his grip around Miko's wrist.

Even as she ran, the Japanese girl flinched at the strength in her friend's fingers. " Ouch! Jack, you're gonna bruise my arm!"

" Would you rather deal with a bruise, or get ripped to bits by a Decepticon?"

At that, Miko shut up and simply continued to run and deal with the pain in her wrist. A bruise might hurt, but it would heal. The same could not be said for whatever damage a 'Con could inflict. " Right," was all she panted and then tightened her hold on Raf's wrist.

Clutching his glasses in his hand, Raf stumbled behind his friends as he tried to keep up. It sucked having shorter legs than everyone else! " W-we'll never outrun him!" the twelve-year-old panted.

" Well, then you better start praying that Hunter gets to us before he does," Jack replied. " Come on, this way!" He hauled them off down an alley, but soon they were forced to come to a stop as they ran right into a dead end. " Scrap!" Jack panted, looking up at the brick wall before them.

" Way to go, Jack!" Miko spat as she panted. " You ran us smack into a wall!"

" Hey, you try being the navigator with a two-story, two-ton, evil alien robot on your trail!" Jack snapped back.

" Wh-what are we gonna do now?" Raf stammered nervously, he too looking up at the rock solid barrier.

The sudden sound of a revving engine caused all three to whip around and face their dreaded assailant. Cornered! Trapped like rats! They all backed up against the brick, trying to keep as much distance between themselves and the Decepticon as possible.

" Like I said," Jack answered Raf's previous question, " start praying."

Looking on in horror, the three friends watched as the 'Con slowly rolled closer and closer to them, roaring his motor louder and louder each time. Finally he came to an abrupt stop. Before they knew it, they were looking up into the blood-red optics of a Vehicon. Their hearts drummed in their ears, and their mouths and throats went bone dry. Not. Good.

The 'Con sneered down at them—at least they_** thought **_he sneered... it was kind of hard to tell since he didn't—ya know—_**have an actual face**_. Kneeling down, he reached out towards them, ready to snag them up into his crushing grip and carry them off to God-knows where. Suddenly something round, bright blue, and solid made sharp contact with the side of his helm before ricocheting off and disappearing back up into the air. The blow knocked the mech right on his skid-plate.

The kids stared in complete shock. What... the heck... was that?

That's when a very familiar, crystal clear, and rather threatening voice boomed through the air. " Hey, buddy!"

Kids and Vehicon all looked in the direction of the voice, their eyes traveling upward to see a tall, slender, sapphire-blue-eyed, and fiery-red-haired girl standing atop the building above them. She was posed in a classic heroic position: one foot propped up on the raised ledge of the building with the other planted firmly below her on the roof. Her hands were perched on her hips, and she was standing erect and tall: shoulders back, head held high, her chest slightly puffed out. A deadly look was held upon her face. The stance certainly did help to give the impression that she was taller (though of course she'd always been tall), bigger, and more intimidating. In fact, if you asked Jack, Miko, and Raf, at that very moment, Hunter was the perfect model of a warrior goddess.

As he gazed at her, Jack couldn't help but notice a few hints of Optimus in her posture. " _Hmm_," he chuckled inwardly. " _I wonder if she even notices._"

" Who? Me?" the 'Con demanded of the redhead.

" What, am I here to amuse you?" Hunter growled. " You see any other lame-brain mechs traipsin' around here?"

The kids couldn't help but snicker. Not only had Hunter adopted Optimus' God-of-War stance, she'd also taken on his thunderous battle-field voice. Of course her voice wasn't near as deep, but her tone was just as fierce and commanding.

" You trying to provoke me, whelp?" the 'Con hissed, rising to his feet again.

" Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?" Hunter shot back.

" Like who, puny human?"

" Wow," Miko whistled with a shake of her head and an impish smirk twisting her lips, " a 'Con who actually doesn't know who she is. Who'da thunk it?"

" Like me!" Hunter roared. With that, she switched on her plasma shield again, dislodged the energy disk from the generator, and chucked the shield in her opponent's direction. " Hah!" The disk slammed into the 'Con's face, knocking him off balance yet again. Transforming into her Autobot mode, Hunter then leaped onto his backplate and started slamming her fists into the side of his helm.

The 'Con wheeled backwards and rammed her against the wall. " Get off me, Hybrid glitch!" He slammed her against the brick again.

" Ah!" Hunter returned the favor by machete-chopping the sides of his neck.

" Yah!" The mech reached around, seized hold of her arms, swung her up and over his head, and threw her down into the cement away from him. " I said _**get off**_!"

" Uh!" Hunter hit the ground, rebounded off it, transformed into her human form again, hit the ground once more, glanced off again, and landed upright on her feet. Lips parted in a savage snarl, the fifteen-year-old charged her opponent. " Rrraaahhh!" When she was close enough, the girl brought her left leg up and pivoted around until, at the last second, she snapped her left leg down, brought up her right, transformed to her Autobot mode, and struck the Vehicon with a hard kick across the jaw. " Hah!"

" Oof!" The 'Con went flying backwards towards the wall the kids were still plastered against. He would have destroyed the wall and crushed them if Hunter hadn't taken hold of one of his ankles and slammed him back down in the cement.

Planting a knee in the small of his backplate and a foot between his shoulderplates, Hunter shoved his faceplate into the pavement, slightly grating him against it. " Keep your grimy claws off my friends, you worthless piece of slag," she hissed, applying more weight to shove him harder into the concrete.

" Ugh! Make... me... sludge-sucker!" the 'Con rasped out. Reaching up, he found one of her legs and gouged his sharp talons into her calf. Hunter cried out in pain, and he ripped her legs out from under her. With the femmling scrambling around on her back, the mech hurried to his feet and started to run off down the alley, hoping to transform and make it away with his spark while he still had the chance. He wasn't lucky enough.

Her calf wound healing, Hunter rolled onto her shoulders, leapt up to her feet, and reeled out a length of one of her grappling cables. She snarled after the mech. Taking the loose end in one hand, the Hybrid lunged and roared, " You're not getting away!" She slipped the cable over his head and pulled it tight to his throat, then locked her legs around his middle and held on. " Hah!"

The mech wheeled back again and tried to smash her into the wall once more. When that didn't work her spun around and around and around before finally giving up on dislodging her and just back-flopping to the concrete, hoping to crush her: another fruitless attempt. Primus, this femme just didn't give up! Suddenly the mech felt the cable around his throat tighten and start biting into his muscle-cables. It kept tightening and tightening and tightening until finally he was being strangled. He couldn't take it anymore! Reaching up with a hand, the 'Con frantically clawed as his neck until he spliced the cable with one of his sharp talons. Free, he wrenched away and tried to run off again. Yet again he was apprehended.

" No you don't!" Hunter zipped after him, seized hold of his shoulderplating, and slammed him face-first into the wall. " Hah!"

" Uh!" The mech reached around, grabbed her by the throat, whipped around, and did the same to her

Hunter yelped and kicked her feet out into his middle, propelling him into the adjacent brick wall. Then she was on his back again. Locking her legs at his middle again, the fifteen-year-old wrapped a strong arm around his neck, sank the razors in her opposite hand into the wall, and locked them there, so that no matter how hard her opponent tried they wouldn't move.

Panicking, the mech struggled and fought with all his might, but he couldn't get away. Each time he tried to get free, the femmling applied a little more pressure on his neck area, bending his head back just a little bit further each time. Finally enough was enough, and his neck gave with a sickening snap. The Vehicon sank to the ground, dead.

Wiping her brow, Hunter sighed relieved. Jeesh, even with super-strength that 'Con had been more than a handful... or maybe she just needed to get her groove back. The Hybrid braced her hands against her knees for a minute, trying to get her breath back, then stood back up and rushed to her friends. She knelt down. " You guys all right?" she questioned, concern evident in both her faceplate and optics.

" A lot better now that you're here," Raf answered with a nod and a slight smile.

" What took you so long?" Miko interjected, hands on her hips and a smirk on her lips.

" Yeah," Jack agreed, playing along. " What gives, Hunt? Did you stop off for a burger and fries?"

Hunter simply returned her friends' devious expressions. " Hey, can't say I never made a good entrance," she chuckled. Then a look of utter seriousness came over her face. " But enough joking around. Right now we gotta move. There'll be more 'Cons coming, and if this one was any indication, they're ready to give me one heck of a fight. The sooner I can get you guys to base, the better." With that said, the scarlet femmling abruptly stood and transformed into her alternate mode. She opened her doors. " Come on!" she ordered when her friends didn't take up the silent invitation to climb in.

Looking from the scarlet and black-and-silver racing striped Topkick to each other, Jack, Miko, and Raf all exchanged excited but unsure glances. This was the first time they'd ever actually gotten to ride inside their friend's cab, and even though they knew it shouldn't have been any different than riding with their guardians... it was still kind of weird. Part of it was because... well... it was Hunter. They'd known her as a human before they'd known her as a realized Hybrid and it was just kind of awkward to think about... how they would be riding inside her. Not '_**inside her**_' inside her, but you get the picture. Plus... Hunter... well she was _**their**_ age. That wouldn't be so bad either if it wasn't for the fact that they knew she'd failed her last driver's test—even _**with **_Optimus' help! Granted that had been during the first week after she'd joined the team, and they were sure she'd got plenty of driving experience since then, but still.

" Oh, come on, I'm not _**that**_ bad a driver!" Hunter sighed exasperatedly. " Optimus will testify to that. Now, _**get in**_!"

Her three friends shared one more glance and then scurried towards her. Scrambling into her interior and pulling the seat-belts around them, Jack, Miko, and Raf couldn't help but feel both exhilarated and petrified at the same time. This was it—no turning back—now or never.

Once they were safely situated, Hunter slammed her doors, revved her engine, and peeled out of the alley and into the street. The fifteen-year-old tried to ignore the pit in her fuel-tank as she drove along. She didn't know why, but for some reason she had the feeling that the Decepticons going after her friends was a plan that either Bombardier or Starscream was behind... maybe even both. One thing was for sure though: she had to get Jack, Miko, and Raf out of here.

" Uh... Hunter, you're going the wrong way," Jack mentioned after a moment, drawing the Cybertronian's attention. " The base is in the opposite direction."

" I'm aware," came the simple answer.

" So why aren't we headed in that direction?" Raf questioned.

" The 'Cons would follow me. The last thing we need right now is them learning the location of our base."

" So if we're not going in the base's direction, how are we gonna get there?" Miko asked a little nervously.

" Hopefully, I can get somewhere to drop you guys off then send your coordinates to Ratchet so he can bridge you there while I deal with the 'Cons," Hunter answered.

" And if you can't find a safe spot?" Jack barely dared the question.

" We keep driving until I can or until I have backup."

Jack, Miko, and Raf all shared a look.

* * *

" Hunter to base. Hunter to base! Slag it, can anybody read me?!" After waiting a moment for an answer, Hunter released something that was like a mix between a growl, a groan, and an exasperated sigh and closed her comm-link. That was the tenth time in the past thirty minutes she'd tried to contact the base, and she all she'd been met with was static! The only explanation for her situation was that the 'Cons were blocking the signal. Ironically enough, however, there hadn't been any signs of the 'Cons since they'd exited Jasper—but Hunter could still sense them. They were out there. Waiting. Ready to pounce. The young Hybrid could only pray that she was ready for them when they did. This was the first time since her death she'd encountered the 'Cons, and it was her first time ever without Optimus relatively close at hand, ready to come to her aid should she need him. Hunter wasn't sure if she was ready to go it alone. She wasn't even sure if she was capable.

Suddenly the Hybrid's nerves tingled sharply. Hunter flashed in and out of her foresight. " Hang on!" she warned her friends just seconds before she bared a hard right, narrowly missing a laser that hit and exploded the black-top right where her tailgate had been. The Topkick drifted for several feet then straightened out. Adjusting her side-view mirrors, Hunter looked into them and saw at least a dozen Eradicons soaring high up above. The teenager cursed. Pouring on the gas, she went faster and faster still, hardly noticing the white knuckle grips of her passengers as they held onto her interior for dear life. Her nerves tingled again, and she swerved sharply to the left, avoiding another laser. She had to get her friends out of here!

Inside, Jack held onto his seat-belt, too afraid to even move for fear he might accidentally hit Hunter's frantically reeling steering wheel and cause her to loose control. Raf held onto the edge of his seat. Miko held onto the dashboard, her eyes squeezed shut, trying her hardest not to hyperventilate. She was too scared to even wonder why she was freaking out over this when she had faced 'Cons more than once and had helped to destroy a swarm of scraplets in order to save Bulkhead and the other 'Bots. " Oh, we're gonna die!" the Japanese girl shrieked, taking her hands from the dash and burying her face in them. " We're _**sooo **_dead! **WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!**"

" We are _**not**_ gonna die!" Hunter shouted, once more using her commanding tone. " Now hang on!" She poured on more speed.

Jack glanced down at her speedometer and had to do a double take. How could she possibly be going any faster? The needle had already broken off! And then he remembered: Hunter's hyperspeed. The boy screwed his eyes shut, sat back in the seat, and gulped. He made a silent vow that, if he got out of this alive, he was never going to go this fast ever again.

Hunter was just beginning to near that point where she could break into her hyperspeed and was readying herself for that shocking boom when she broke the barrier, when suddenly her ESP went off again. Something that looked an awful lot like a net made of electricity appeared in front of her. The teenager slammed on her brakes, silently thanking Primus her friends were belted in, and tried to stop. But she was too late. She skidded right through the electrical field as freezing-hot, sizzling, and excruciating pain blasted through her. " **AHHHH!**" The femmling reeled and spun, desperately trying to regain control of herself to no avail. She spun off the road, into the ditch, and rolled. When she finally came to a stop, the Hybrid transformed into her Autobot mode, coming out of her Topkick form with her friends safely seated in her hands. She carefully sat them down. " Are you three okay?" she panted, looking them over with worry in her pristine aqua-blue optics.

Miko turned away from everyone and slumped to the ground. " I think... I'm gonna heave," she groaned. Her stomach churned, and she plastered a hand over her mouth as she gagged.

Raf, panting, fell back on the seat of his pants in the red Nevada dirt. " I've never gone that fast before," he muttered almost incoherently as he looked off into the distance with terror in his eyes. " Not even with 'Bee."

Jack just braced his hands again his knee and panted. After a moment, he looked up and met his friend's gaze, giving her the 'okay' signal. " We're good," he heaved.

Hunter grinned, some of the dread lifting off her chest. The dread soon came flooding back, though, when the ground quaked with a series of booms as the Eradicons touched down in their original forms, circling them; hemming them in.

As the final mech touched down, Hunter got on her feet and immediately rolled into a ready position. Growling she took in every 'Con into her sight, evaluating, planning. " _Scrap! What have you gotten into, Hunter?_" she asked herself, then she turned to her friends. " Guys, stay close," she ordered, forming a wall between them and the Eradicons. The Hybrid then extracted her razors and turned to her opponents. " You want 'em," she snarled at the ring of mechs, " you gotta go through me first!" And with that, she lunged.

It didn't take her long to decapitate the first two Eradicons, and she took out three more by getting behind a mech and forcibly aiming his cannon at their spark chambers as he fired before stabbing through his spark with her razors. She was in mid-air, lunging for her next victim when suddenly agonizing pain ripped through her. " Ahh!" Hunter cried out and was suddenly jerked sharply backwards, snapped out of her leap. She crashed heavily to the ground. Groaning, the femmling pushed herself up into a half-sitting, half-laying position and grabbed at her right shoulder. She grimaced and quivered as another twinge of pain ran her nerves ragged and looked to see an evil looking harpoon with a thick cable attached to it impaling her shoulder just below her clavicle. The harpoon had some sort of locking mechanism on it that bit into her shoulder as well. It was coated with her energon. " Mm-uh!" Hunter bit her lipplate and screwed her optics shut, trying to hold back the tears. She quivered. Primus, it hurt! That's when an acidic laugh drew her attention. Snarling, the Hybrid glared over her wounded shoulderplating towards the mech who the harpoon belonged to.

Meeting her gaze, the 'Con pulled the cable a little tighter, causing the femmling to wince. " Thought you had us all taken care of, didn't ya, Hybrid?"

Forgetting her pain, Hunter roared and lunged for him. Once again a sharp pain tore through her and she was snapped out of mid-air again. " Gah!" Her gaze shot down the her leg to see the same kind of device stabbed through her left calf just below the back of her knee. She glowered up at the owner of said device and, somehow, managed to get to her feet and charge him, her right set of razors extended. " Rrrraaaahhhh!" A grapnel cable suddenly twined around her wrists and yanked her back. Growling and snarling like a caged wolf, Hunter extracted her other razor set and spun to try and splice the cable when her other wrist was captured as well. Enraged with pain and hardly thinking anymore, the Hybrid spun to face the 'Con and tried going for him. A cable wrapped tight around her waist, holding her back. The fifteen-year-old roared and tried to twist around, but another cable quickly wrapped around her knees, binding them together. Hunter strained and fought against her bonds, and with each new struggle came six more cables (each 'Con had a set of two). One wrapped around her right ankle; while two more coiled around her chest and midsection, forcing her arms to her sides. Another wound around her right calf and the fifth fixed itself around her thighs. The last one found itself wrapped around her head and covering her mouth, forming a sort of gag.

Finally Hunter stood amid the ring of six 'Cons, bound down by twelve cables that criss-crossed this way and that over her frame. The femmling tried as hard as she could to try and break away, but the more she struggled the more her pain increased as she dealt with, not only her impalements, but all the other cables as they bit into her too. Plus, she had the feeling that electrical net she had driven through had cut her down to half-strength, maybe less. Suddenly the cables pulled taut. Hunter squeezed her eyes shut and groaned, trembling as the pain wracked through her. She quickly turned to see her friends who were still miraculously standing in the same spot beyond the ring of 'Cons that had closed in, unharmed, and began to scream at them, despite the fact she was gagged. " Run, guys!" she bellowed, the gag turning it into an garbled scream. " Run!"

Jack, Miko, and Raf all stared up at her in horror. Hunter was hurt... and captured! How was that even possible?!

" Run!" Hunter hollered again through the cable. " Run! Run!"

Reluctantly turning away, Jack grabbed Miko's wrist, Miko grabbed Raf's, and they all began sprinting away as fast as they could. Hopefully, they could get far enough away to call for backup.

Hunter watched on as they disappeared into the distance, tears stinging her optics as she silently prayed to Primus for their protection, but then the cables tightened, inflicting more pain and drawing her back with it. " Mmm!" The cables suddenly began to pull in different directions—left yanking right and right yanking left—and the young Hybrid toppled over and hit the ground like load of support beams broken loose from the cable. " Oof!" Hunter grimaced and writhed. She soon forgot the pain, however, as she was all at once cast in a dark, ominous, looming shadow. A shadow she knew all too well. Head snapping around, Hunter looked up to meet the blood red optics of Bombardier.

The black and red bounty hunter grinned dementedly down at her. " Hey there, tidbit," he greeted her. " Long time, no see."

Her look of horror transforming into a death glare, Hunter roared and tried to lunge for him, but the cables pulled taut, biting into her and jarring her nerves. She cringed and huddled down again.

" A little sore, are we?" Bomber chuckled, kneeling down beside her. " Don't worry, tidbit. I can take that all away." He slowly reached out for her with a massive, wide-spread hand.

Panicking, Hunter fought and struggled and writhed, trying to get away, but, of course, she couldn't move. The mech's hand touched her cheek. Surprised by his gentleness, the younger Hybrid looked up at him in terrified astonishment. Without warning, she began to feel weaker—like her very life-force was being drained away. The world around her started to warp and blacken until the Decepticon insignia on Bombardier's chestplate was the only thing left, but then it too quickly faded away. Hunter slipped into the darkness.


	25. Reunited

** Wow! 40 reviews! Alright! Thank you all so much!**

** Skyress98—Your wish is my command. Here's the next chapter.**

** Alice Gone Madd & SunnySides—I'M THROWIN' YOU GUYS FOR A LOOP! WHOO-HOO!**

** Anyway, enjoy, and I'll probably update the next chapter tonight too, since they kinda go together. :)**

** FLUFFINESS WARNING!**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Our lives are made... in these small hours... these little wonders... these twists and turns of fate. Time falls away... but these small hours... these small hours... still remain..." Rob Thomas; _Little Wonders_

23

Ω Reunited Ω

_Comet __Thunder ignored the cold, hard-packed ground beneath him as he stretched out, his rifle in sniper position. The desert air around him was growing cold, but unlike his fellow Marines, he was all but oblivious to it. Along with his essential Hybrid powers—hyperspeed, superstrength, microscopic vision—he had the ability to regulate his body temperature. Unfortunately, that was also his only other power besides essential powers. This fact is what had made him the disgrace and the dark little secret of the family, starting with his great-grandsire. Not that Comet cared anymore. Having grown tired of the stress and strain long ago, he'd since given up on trying to conform to the visions and morals of his family. He was tired of trying to fit in. If they didn't want and value him for the way he was, then he just wasn't going to be around them... or be around them as little as he could. That was part of the reason he'd joined the Marine Corps. Another part was that he loved his country with all he was worth and would do just about anything to protect and defend it._

_ As he scanned the horizon with the night-vision scope of his rifle, he felt somebody's presence coming up behind him. " You're lucky I know your God-awful tread there, Wallace," he announced, not looking away from his scope. " I mighta thought you were Taliban and killed you otherwise."_

_ " Oh, but you still might end up killing me regardless," a voice that wasn't Wallace's replied._

_ A chill went down Thunder's spine, and he quickly whipped around to see a large man, late thirties, early forties, head shaved bald, dressed in a pair of fatigues, combat boots, and a USMC T-shirt. Blood-red eyes shone evilly out from his shadowy face. Almost instantly, Comet knew he was another Hybrid; he didn't know how he knew, he just knew. He also knew he wasn't friendly either. Grabbing his gun, the young man leapt to his feet, aiming for where the intruder's spark chamber was. " Identify yourself!" he barked._

_ The intruder didn't reply, he just looked at the gun and shook his head, looking somewhat disappointed. " Is that anyway to greet a fellow Hybrid, son?" he questioned with a tsk of his tongue. He took a step forward, reached out, grabbed the muzzle of the gun, and bent it back without even trying. He then snatched the weapon from Comet's hands and threw it away. " And it won't matter to you who I am and who I'm not in a minute. Besides, I think you already have a pretty good idea who I am."_

_ " Let me guess," Comet snarled, rolling into a ready position, " my great-grandsire sent you after me, right?"_

_ The intruder chuckled. " You're a smart kid, ain't ya? Yeah, you're great-grandpa did send me after you. Payin' me real nice too." _

_ " You know I won't go without a fight," Comet growled._

_ " Wouldn't expect anything less." Suddenly the intruder lunged._

_ Thunder roundhouse kicked him across the face._

_ " Ugh!" The other Hybrid fell back and turned away, his back to Comet. When he turned back around, a single trickle of blood was starting at the corner of his mouth. Chuckling he wiped it away and spat. " Not bad, son," he praised the younger Hybrid. " Not bad at all. Hah!" He lunged again._

_ Comet swung his fist, ready to make contact with the intruder's face. Instead he found his wrist caught in a tight grip and a strong hand around his throat, but he wasn't being choked. The young man tried to pull away, but he couldn't. He glared up at the intruder. " What'r'ya gonna do?" he demanded. " Choke me to death?"_

_ The intruder simply shook his head, a demented grin crossing his face. " Not exactly," he replied._

_ That's when Comet could feel himself getting weaker; could feel his life-force being sucked from his body. " What... are you... doing to me?" he rasped as he sank to his knees._

_ " What I was paid to do," was all the intruder said, hands still at Thunder's wrist and throat. His grin grew so big that it seemed to be a grimace. He could feel the power flowing from Comet's body into his. It wasn't a lot of power, granted, but it was still power, and he could feel himself growing stronger because of it. Finally, he let go._

_ Comet Thunder collapsed, nearly lifeless. He moaned. He'd never felt so weak—so old—in his entire life! Suddenly he heard the scrape of metal and lifted his eyes to see the intruder was holding a large, curved knife, and he knew. This is how it ended._

_ " Let's make 'em think you got snuck up on by a terrorist, huh?" With that said, the intruder plunged his knife into Thunder's back again and again._

* * *

Hunter woke up with a gasp. A single tear slipped down her cheek and for a moment her frame shook with quiet sobs. Had she really just seen what she thought she saw? Had she really just witnessed her father's murder? Her whole life she'd grown up believing her father had been killed terrorists, but now... if her dream was right... he'd been killed by another Hybrid. But who? Sucking in a deep vent, Hunter decided not to think about it until she wasn't so confused. Sighing, the fifteen-year-old groaned and lifted a hand to her throbbing head. " Scrap!" she winced as a twinge of pain shot through her nerves from her shoulder wound. Why was it that her wounds never fully healed until she was conscious? Ever so slowly, the femmling sat up, gritting her way through the pain and causing the thermal tarp that was draped over her to fall around her waist. That's when Hunter realized that the familiar, protecting walls of Autobot Outpost Omega One surrounded her. She was back! But how? The Hybrid came to the conclusion that the 'Cons had left her for dead and Team Prime had locked onto her coordinates and brought her back. That left her with the next question: what about Jack, Miko, and Raf? The last time she'd seen them they'd been running off as fast as they could, trying to get far enough to call for back-up. Were they okay? Hunter decided that the 'Bots must have found them too. So were they here? Carefully, her wounds still healing, Hunter swung her legs off the berth and tediously stood. She was a little wobbly at first and leaned back against the medical berth for support, but she soon gained her footing and limped her way across the lab to the door. As quietly as she could, she opened the door and peeked out. The room was empty except for Ratchet, who was at the computer working diligently. Jack, Miko, and Raf weren't there, and neither were their Autobot companions. The fifteen-year-old decided they were probably at their charges' homes.

'Home'; the word caused an undeniable urge of longing to grip onto and crush Hunter's spark. At that moment, she knew who she wanted to see more than anybody. So, as quietly as she could, the young Hybrid pushed the door open just enough for her to squeeze through without drawing Ratchet's attention, crept out into the main room, and slipped over to the hallway. She peeked around the corner one last time, just to make sure her presence had gone undetected, then turned back around and headed in the direction of Optimus' berthroom. When Hunter came to it, she found his door was already slightly open. Creeping over to it, she pushed it open a little farther and peered in.

Sitting there at his desk in all his magnificent red and blue glory, was Optimus Prime, poring over data pads that looked like they'd been piling up for a while. Hunter ran her optics over him for a moment. He was in a pose she'd never seen him in before. His left foot was braced against the side of the desktop and his left elbow was perched on his left knee, his forehead held in his left hand. He was leaning back in his chair, and in his right hand he was holding a data pad. What's more, he was mouthing the words as he read them to himself. The position made him look so... foreign... and yet... still so Optimus-like at the same time.

Hunter was so busy being shocked by and taking in this new pose of his, that she didn't realize that she was dangerously leaning on one foot to look in on him until she lost her balance and tumbled through the door and into the room with a yelp. " Whoa-oh!" The Hybrid crashed to the floor and the door slammed against the wall.

Optimus jumped, dropping the data pad, then spun around to face the door and was met with the sight of Hunter lying on the floor. He froze. She was awake!

Hunter pushed herself up into a sitting position, brushing herself off as she did. That's when she felt eyes on her. Slowly, she looked up to meet Optimus' gaze, and she, too, froze.

For the longest time, the duo simply sat in their respective places, staring at each other, looking shocked like it was impossible for this to happening. Optimus finally broke the silence. " Hunter," he said, clearing his throat, trying to get rid of the surprised tone in his voice, " you're awake." He moved to stand and Hunter did the same, finishing brushing herself off as she did. " I-I was... um..." he cleared his throat again, "... was just going to come and, uh, check on you when... when I was done with this... uh..." Optimus held out his hand which had previously been holding the data pad, only to find that he was no longer holding the data pad, and looked around to find it before reaching down and picking it up to show her, "... this data pad. And, um..." he cleared his throat again.

Hunter simply continued to stare at him, not taking notice of the pad at all.

" And... um..." Optimus tried to start again, setting the pad back on his desk. " W-well, I-I was just..." he cleared his throat again and tried a different tactic. " How are you feeling, little one?"

All of a sudden stinging, biting tears welled up in Hunter's optics and began spilling down her cheeks. The teenager bit her lip and turned away, screwing her eyes shut in an attempt to control them, but she soon realized that she wasn't going to and she didn't care. All she wanted was to be in her mentor's arms. " Optimus!" Without warning, the young Hybrid darted forward and threw her arms around the Prime. Unfortunately, as she did this, she crashed against him with such force that they both toppled over backwards into the chair and then took the chair over with them as they fell to the floor.

Once they were righted, Optimus came out in a sitting position with Hunter kneeling in his lap, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, and her faceplate burrowed into his chest, bawling her optics out. The Prime remained frozen and rigid for a moment, surprised by her desperation. Then his shock faded, and the only thing he could think of was holding the little girl he loved with all his spark as closely and as tightly as he could. In a flash, his arms were around her and were all but crushing her to his chest. He nuzzled and kissed the top of her head. " Oh, my Hunter," he crooned, rocking her back and forth. " Oh, my shooting star." Tears of joy pricked at his optics and trickled down his cheekplates. Hunter was back! She was really back, and she was here, safe and sound in the protection of his arms! The mech was determined to never let her go again.

" I missed you so much, big guy!" Hunter wailed, holding him tighter and snuffling into the crook of his neck. She almost couldn't believe this was real. It seemed like forever since she'd felt this warmth and affection, that was meant only for her, radiate from within his spark chamber and flood through their bond and into her body. For so long she'd missed his embrace that was real and true. She never wanted to leave his big, strong, sheltering arms again for as long as she lived.

" And I missed you," Optimus replied, trying to pull her closer than she was already. " Shh. Hush now, it's all right. Everything is all right. I'm here now. I have you."

Suddenly Hunter pulled away so that she could look her commander in the optics and braced her hands against his chestplate. She looked beyond ashamed and sorrowful. " I'm sorry, Optimus," she sniffled, her voice shaky and tight as her waterfall of tears gradually began to slow into broken streams. " I'm so sorry for being stupid and selfish. And I'm so sorry for causing you all the worry and grief." Her eyes fell away from Optimus' as she said the last part, her hands curling into fists against his windshields.

Smiling gently, Optimus reached up and cupped her face in his hands. " It is true that I was worried about you," he admitted, drawing her optics back up to meet his. " It is also true that I was greatly aggrieved when I heard that you had run away." The Prime looked deep into the femmling's optics, once again making her feel like he could see into her soul, and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs as his smile and their spark-link grew warmer and more loving with each second that ticked by. " But none of that matters now, Hunter," he told her, his voice almost at a whisper. " All that matters now is that you are safe and you are here with me, and that's all I care about." Then a devious yet serious gleam came to the red and blue Autobots optics and he shook his head at her. " And if you ever run away and put me through something like that _**ever**_ again, I'll ground you until my dying days and see that whoever succeeds me grounds you until your own as well."

Hunter could only sniffle and laugh, giving him a watery grin. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck again and snuggled against him as he took up rocking her again. She was home again... at long last.


	26. Decision Points

** In case any of you were confused about last chapter, this one should clear it up. And if it doesn't... well, you'll either have to wait and see or ask me what's going on. XD**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

X-Ray Dog; _Objects in Motion_

24

Ω Decision Points Ω

" I'll _**never**_ run away again, Optimus," Hunter vowed as she continued to dwell within the warmth of his embrace. " On my honor, I swear it." She pushed closer to him and nuzzled into his chestplate, trying to feel more of his love and affection that was already overflowing their bond.

The Prime grinned at her statement. Pulling her away from his chest just enough to meet her optics, he gave her a devilish look and playfully growled, " You had better not, because Primus help you if you do."

The Hybrid raised an optic-ridge. " Is that a threat, Commander?"

" It is."

" Well, sorry to rain on your parade, but it doesn't scare me."

Optimus laughed evilly. " Run away again, and you'll come to fear it." He suddenly whipped her around so that her backplate was against his chestplate and pinned her there. " Come here, you!" The Prime tickled her mid-plate.

Hunter yelped and squirmed. " Ah! Optimus, no! Not fair! Ah-ha-ha-ha!" After squirming around and straining against her captor for several long, torturous minutes, the femmling was finally able to break free. She scrambled out of the mech's lap and collapsed against the foot of his berth a few feet away. " Not cool, Prime," she snarled with a sneer.

Optimus simply smirked and crossed his arms over his chassis. " It's nothing more than you deserve," he declared, optics still twinkling mischievously.

Hunter stuck her glossa out at her spark-father. She quickly pulled it back in as Optimus suddenly rose up on one knee and got into position as if to make a snag for it.

" Hunter, what have I said about doing that?" the red and blue 'Bot questioned. He was no longer joking around with her; he looked as stern and serious as if he were on a battle-field commanding his team.

The femmling gave him an impish smile. " To not to," she answered. Hunter couldn't but giggle to herself and think of how much she'd sounded like Annabelle just then. She swore sometimes it was more like the six-year-old was rubbing off on her than she was rubbing off on the six-year-old.

" And why is that?"

" Because it's disrespectful and immature."

" So what are you going to do?"

" Stop doing it." A devious gleam sparked brightly in Hunter's beautiful optics and the impish smirk turned into an all-out devil-may-care grin. " Not!" Without warning she stuck her glossa out as far as it would go and blew a raspberry in her commander's face.

Growling, Optimus lunged for her. " Huntress Starstreaker James!" But before he had time to think or even blink, the large Prime was on his backplate on the floor. With wide, awestruck optics, the mech stared up at the scarlet and black-and-silver striped femmling who was holding him down by sitting cross-legged on his chestplate and holding his wrists firmly in her grasp. She looked very proud of herself, giving him a wolfish grin.

" Never underestimate a Hybrid, big guy," she chuckled, shaking her head at him. " You above all people should know that."

The Prime smirked at her. " Would you care to let me up now?" he teased.

Hunter pursed her lipplates and rolled her optics up to the ceiling, as if carefully considering the question. Finally she released a heavy sigh and looked back at him. " Very well," she said, rolling her eyes and managing to sound exasperated. " I suppose I can let you up." She laughed and Optimus did too, then she finally stood and helped to pull him up to his feet.

Once he was standing again, Optimus put his hands on his hips and shook his head at her. " You are quite the deviant, my shooting star," he chuckled warmly.

The young Hybrid simply gave him a cheeky grin.

" Ahem," the sound of somebody clearing their throat drew the duo's attention. The 'Bots turned to see a certain white and amber medic standing in the doorway of the room. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was smirking, mostly at the Prime than at the Hybrid.

Optimus faceplate became beet red. Had Ratchet just watched him be pinned by Hunter? " Uh..." the Prime stammered and cleared his throat, unsure of what to say, "... hello, Ratchet." He reached up and scratched the back of his head.

Hunter looked back and forth between the two mechs, grinning wolfishly. She loved Optimus, but seeing him caught in an awkward and embarrassing situation was too good a sight to go unseen. Especially when the situation was caused by her!

" H-how long have you been standing there?" the Prime finally questioned his old friend.

Ratchet chuckled, still smirking. " Long enough." The medic then put a hand on his hip and jerked a thumb behind him and down the hall. " There are some people here who want to see Hunter, and one of them is a very impatient six-year-old girl."

Optimus and Hunter grinned at each other. The Prime turned back to the medic and nodded his thanks, then he began to walk out of the room, Hunter right behind him. The Hybrid was stopped when a hand was placed on her shoulder. She turned and looked up at Ratchet.

The old Autobot's optics shone with guilt and sorrow, and the rest of his faceplate reflected it. " Hunter... I..." Ratchet started out, stammering and stuttering and tripping over his glossa to try and find the words to say. " I... well, I-I just wanted to say... wh-what I mean is..."

" It's okay, Ratch," Hunter cut him off, saving him at the same time. " I know, and I forgive you. I won't let you forget for a long, long, _**long**_ time, but I do forgive you." As if to seal her pardon, the femmling leaned in and planted a light kiss on the old medic's cheekplate guard.

Ratchet stood completely frozen, shocked by both the kiss and how easily was was able to forgive him. After everything he had done to her, the way he treated her—like she was lower than dirt—she was that willing to let it all go and reconcile with him. Hunter was truly amazing.

Hunter simply smiled at his amazement. " Thanks, Gramps-bot," the word slipped passed her lipplates as they transformed into a devilish smirk. She yipped and ducked out of the way as the old medic swung at her head with a wrench that was held in his hand (apparently he'd been making some repairs or tweaks before he'd come to get her and Optimus). Laughing, the femmling turned to face Ratchet only to spin out of the way of that dreaded wrench yet again.

" Call me that again and I'll pound a few more dents into you!" the medic growled.

" Aw, come on, Ratch!" Hunter half laughed, half whined. " Yipe!" She tumbled out of the way as the tool was chucked at her, found her feet again, and dashed off down the hall to Optimus, who was standing there, watching and laughing. " Optimus, save me!" the fifteen-year-old yelped as she jumped into his arms. Once he was holding her, she wrapped her arms around his neck, swung around to his back, and locked her legs around his mid-section.

" Now he'll start throwing the wrench at me!" Optimus complained.

" Not if you _**run**_! Now go!"

With that said, the Prime took off down the hall, just barely dodging the wrench as Ratchet chucked it at them again.

Once they were out of reach of Ratchet's wrench-wrath—or else Ratch had just given up on trying to hit them—Hunter grinned at the thought of seeing her foster family again. It had only been a night, yes, but she'd still missed them. Her excitement didn't last however. All at once, the fifteen-year-old's tank suddenly twisted into one big knot as she remembered an event from earlier. " Oh, great," she grumbled into the Prime's magnificent red shoulderplating.

" What is is, Hunter?" Optimus asked, sounding concerned.

" I just remembered that I gotta tell Will his motorcycle blew up."

Optimus snickered in a friendly but malicious way. That miniscule bit of his spark that resented Hunter for running away was clearing right up with her discomfort. Oh, revenge was sweet!

Sensing his satisfaction through their bond, the scarlet black-and-silver striped femmling snarled and whopped him upside the head.

" Ow!"

" Jerk."

* * *

The Lennoxes and Epps were all up in the living area of the catwalk: Will, Sarah, and Annabelle all seated together on the couch, and Epps leaning up against the railing beside them. They'd come to the base together in order to see Hunter. Of course, once they found that she wasn't in the med-bay they'd all assumed she'd gone to patch things up with Optimus and had decided to give the two their time alone. They were all waiting as patiently as they could, but they were all anxious to see her again. Suddenly they heard a deep, rumbling, warm chuckle followed by a light, happy, femmish giggle and the sound of heavy footfalls. They all turned towards the hallway. A second later, the owner's of the laughs emerged into the main room: Hunter astride Optimus' backplate with her arms around his neck and a happy grin on her face, and Optimus reaching around back to support her, an even happier grin parting his lipplates. The adult humans couldn't help but think how perfect and happy they looked together. Just like a family.

Annabelle however didn't think any of this because... well, she'd made the call on it after all, weeks ago; but mainly because she just wanted to see her friend! Laughing and shrieking gleefully, the blond-haired, baby-blue-eyed six-year-old went streaking for the steps of the catwalk. " Hunter!" she exclaimed. " Hunter! Hunter! Hunter!"

Grinning joyfully, the sought-after femmling slid down from her commander's shoulders, transformed into her human form, and bounded across the room and up the steps to intercept the child. Annabelle was just like a little sister to her. " Annabelle!" she laughed happily as she swept the girl up into a hug. After a moment, she sat Annabelle down and kissed her forehead. " How ya, doin', 'Belle?" she questioned her small friend, kneeling to her eye level.

The little girl grinned and giggled. " A lot better now that you're back," she replied, lunging at her sister-figure for another hug. " I missed you."

Hunter kissed Annabelle's blond locks. " I missed you too, kiddo." The teenager's attention was drawn by the sound of numerous footsteps and she looked up to see the three adults advancing on her, each looking just as glad as the next. She smiled at them. " Hey," was her simple greeting.

Sarah was the first to break and rush forward to embrace the fifteen-year-old. " Oh, Hunter!" she sighed as she squeezed the girl close. " Thank God you're back!" The woman pulled back from the redhead and held her at arms-length, eyes roaming over her in a search for wounds. She didn't have to worry of course—it was just motherly-instinct. " Are you all right, sweetheart?" she asked, concerned.

Hunter smiled and nodded at her friend and mother-figure. " Yes, I'm fine. I'm just happy to be back."

" And we're happy you're back, Hunter," Will declared, his turn to embrace his foster-daughter. He patted her back. " Don't you ever do something like this again," he whispered sternly into her ear. " You understand me, young lady?"

The fifteen-year-old only nodded. Never ever, ever, ever, _**ever**_ again would she run away. It would be the absolute death of her if she did. Running away from the people you loved most was as bad as losing them to death.

"Good," the man said and pulled away from her, keeping his hands on her shoulders for a moment so she wouldn't turn away from him yet. " And you better not have damaged my bike," he added, the hint of a smirk on his lips. He was teasing her, of course, but there was enough truth and threat behind his tone to say that he meant business by what he said. He'd practically built that bike by hand. Next to his wife and daughter, it was his pride and joy, and he didn't want anything happening to it.

Hunter's stomach twisted and she felt her face go pale. Her deep sapphire-blue eyes flashed over to meet those of her Prime in a silent plea for help.

Optimus smiled sympathetically but shook his wise head. "It's not my responsibility to tell him," he seemed to be saying.

His spark-daughter shot him a glare, but she knew that he was right. She hated it when he was right! Hunter's eyes came back to meet Will's which were gazing at her intensely—apparently he'd picked up on the fact that something was wrong. " Uh, Will?" Hunter gulped. She cleared her throat and scratched the back of her head awkwardly. " Um... look... about your motorcycle..."

" Hunter," the man's tone was cautionary, warning her that she was on very thin ice here, " it is all right, isn't it?"

" Uh... no," Hunter admitted, eyes dropping to the floor that she was kicking at and hands folded behind her back. " No, Will, it's not. Um... well... how do I say this? It, uh... it kinda blew up." She bit her lip and just dared to meet her foster-father's gaze again, trying to look as innocent as possible. If you though about it, it wasn't her fault the bike exploded. She'd been broadsided by a Vehicon and sent flying into the line of parked cars, so it really wasn't her fault. However, something told her Will wouldn't care.

The man just simply stood there, staring at her, one of his eyes twitching every so often. He was too shocked to do anything. His motorcycle was gone? 'Black Annie' was really dead? He continued to stand there and stare in shocked paralysis.

Hunter watched him, waiting for his explosive reaction, but none came. She waited a while longer, but when it still didn't come she turned to Epps to try and alleviate the air. " Hey, Epps," she greeted the tall black man.

Epps just stood there, arms crossed over his chest, smirking at her. " Really, Hunt?" he asked after a moment. " Really? Running away? Freakin' us all out? There's a reason you're a redhead, ya little demon." He chuckled and shook his head, then he held out his arms. " Come here, kiddo."

Grinning, Hunter stepped forward and shared a quick hug with him. It was great to be back. Suddenly, a hand was placed on her shoulder and she was manually spun around to face a still very shocked and petrified looking Will.

" What do you mean by 'my motorcycle exploded'?"

Feeling sympathetic for the man, Hunter began to explain the entire situation.

While the fifteen-year-old was busy with the story, Annabelle skipped over to the edge of the catwalk, pulled herself up onto the bar of the railing, and held herself there. " Optimus!" she called at a loud whisper. When the Autobot looked at her, she motioned to him with a finger.

Cocking an optic-ridge, Optimus knelt down until he was at her level. He looked into her baby-blues. " Yes, Annabelle?" he questioned, almost looking cross-eyed at the small child.

The six-year-old leaned in close to him. " Did you tell Hunter 'I love you' yet?" she inquired at a loud whisper.

At that, Optimus couldn't help but smile and chuckle. So that's what she wanted to know, huh? What an incredibly nosy but sweet little girl! The Prime shook his head and said, " No, not yet, Annabelle. Don't worry though, I will in due time."

Annabelle sighed heavily and made an over-dramatic eye-roll, causing the red and blue mech to laugh. Surely, she had only learned that from Hunter! " Well, be sure to tell her _**soon**_!" she ordered him with all the seriousness and urgency in the world. With that said, she jumped down from the railing and walked back towards her mother, who was now trying to comfort her husband over the loss of his beloved 'Black Annie', and Epps who was practically rolling on the floor with laughter at his buddy's situation.

Hunter was still standing there, watching in shock, fascination, and horror as Will shed tears—_**actual tears!—**_over the motorcycle. She'd actually made a grown man cry! She felt terrible! Biting her lip, she looked back over her shoulder and met Optimus' optics. Guilt gleamed in her beautiful eyes.

Optimus met her gaze and gave her an empathetic smile. His poor little Hunter! The Autobot commander made a slight jerk of his head, motioning for her to come in his direction.

Turning away from the humans, Hunter sulked across the catwalk to her mentor, wrapped her arms around his face—something she hadn't done for a long time—and leaned against his faceplate, hiding her face against his warm metal cheek. " I feel terrible," she lamented. " It's like I just killed someone!"

Sighing, Optimus nuzzled his charge. " Oh, Hunter," he chuckled lovingly. " Nothing seems to go right for you, does it?" A devious gleam was in his optics.

Hunter gazed up into his brilliant blue optics, getting that same mischievous gleam in her eyes and giving him a smirk. " No," she answered. " No, it doesn't." She motioned to the elevator doors. " What do you wanna bet that Fowler comes through those doors right about now to chew me out?" No sooner had the words left her mouth when the base's proximity sensor went off. Hunter groaned. " Oh, come on! Don't tell me..." She turned to face the elevator. A minute later, it opened to reveal the dreaded government agent.

Fowler was just as Hunter remembered him. Same hair. Same dress code. Same official walk. Even the same stupid scowl! And, also as she remembered, it was pointed directly at her. Eyes locked onto her like a death ray, Fowler came storming out of the elevator and in her direction. It seemed as though, with each step the agent took, the anger on his face grew more rampant and apparent; eventually, it looked like he would explode with rage. " James!" the man bellowed.

A slight tremor went through Hunter's body and she made an imperceptible flinch, the resonance of Fowler's voice hurting her sensitive Hybrid hearing. Her fists clenched and she pressed her lips together in a firm line, trying as best she could to hold in her temper. She really didn't like this dude! " Fowler," she greeted the agent in a much calmer tone than he had used for her. " Long time, no see, Bill. Where ya been?"

" I could ask you the same question, brat," Fowler snarled.

Hunter prickled. Her lips pulled back to bare her teeth in a growl. " Do _**not**_ call me that," she snarled in a very measured voice. " I've put up with enough slag already, and I ain't takin' any from some pampered, designer suit dressed government agent with his head up his..."

" Hunter..." Optimus, Will, Sarah, and Epps all warned her.

The girl bit her lip and her deep blue eyes darted down to meet those of a certain six-year-old who was watching her intently. Right. Innocent ears were in the room. Had to keep the obscenities to a minimum.

" Well, it's nice to see you take orders from _**someone**_," Fowler snorted condescendingly. His arms were crossed over his chest, but they weren't so much being held there as they were resting on his pudgy, over-sized stomach.

The fifteen-year-old growled again. " Take it and shove it, Fowler."

" Still with the mouth."

" To what do we owe your presence, Agent Fowler?" Optimus finally broke into the conversation before anything else could take place. Still, even though he tried to remain friendly and civil, inside his spark, the Autobot commander was fighting with all he had to keep himself from squashing the agent like a bug right then and there.

" Just hear to check out the rumor of your girl's return, Prime," Fowler answered curtly, not looking away from the teenager. " Guess it's not a lie."

" How disappointed you must be," Hunter snapped with dripping sarcasm.

" You really sure you wanna give me the option to enunciate on that, sweetheart?"

" Ooh, 'enunciate'. Fowler's usin' big boy words now. And don't call me 'sweetheart'. I'm not your "sweetheart", and I feel sorry for anyone who is or was."

The veins in the government agent's head and neck started to pop out as he death glared at the fifteen-year-old. " Why you arrogant, smart-mouthed little..." Fowler was cut off by the sound of honking horns.

Everyone turned to the main corridor to see a blue and black motorcycle, yellow and black muscle car, and a green ATV come barreling into the base. The vehicles had barely braked to a stop before they were transforming. Once they were in their Cybertronian forms, it was impossible to miss the looks of worry and anxiety on the Autobots' faceplates.

Optimus drew himself up to full height and approached them. " Arcee, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, is everything all right?"

Looking up at him, Arcee shook her head almost frantically. " No, Optimus," she panted. " We couldn't find them anywhere."

Optimus tank twisted into a knot. This wasn't good news.

" We tried calling them," Bulkhead added, looking just as panicked as the femme, " but they wouldn't answer their phones."

" Even Raf," 'Bee joined in with a musical buzz. " He _**never **_ignores the phone when I call him."

" Neither does Miko," Bulkhead agreed with a nod.

" Jack wouldn't either," Arcee pointed out.

" You mean you didn't find them?" Hunter suddenly broke into the conversation, drawing everyone's attention.

" Oh, well, look who finally decided to wake up," Arcee growled, crossing her arms over her chest and turning away from the young Hybrid.

A slight sting of pain rippled through Hunter's spark and she snarled at the femme. Then she turned to her guardian. " Jack, Miko, and Raf: you didn't find them when you brought me back here?" she barely dared the question.

Optimus shook his head sorrowfully.

Hunter didn't understand. How could the 'Bots not find the kids? The last time she'd seen them they'd been trying to get far enough away from the 'Cons to see if they could contact the base after she'd told them to run. That had only been maybe five minutes before Bombardier had knocked her out. They were humans—they couldn't have gotten too far... unless... A sick feeling rolled through the fifteen-year-old as she thought of what might have happened to her friends. What if the Decepticons had nabbed them? What if they were locked in some sort of cell on the Nemesis? What if they were in some sort of torture chamber?! Worse; what if they were in a torture chamber with Bomber? Hunter trembled at the thought of what the sadistic and malicious bounty hunter could and would do to three human children, especially when said three human children were friends of hers. " You mean you couldn't find 'em _**anywhere**_?" the girl asked of the 'Bots. She was afraid of the answer.

" That's what we just said," Bumblebee snapped with a buzz.

Hunter swallowed hard, too worried to backtalk 'Bee, and turned to her Prime once again. " O-Optimus..." she stammered, barely noticing as her hands crunched the railing she was gripping, "... you don't think..."

" If they are," Bulk snarled, picking up on what Hunter was getting at, " you're paying for it, Hybrid-scum." The large mech cracked his knuckles.

That was when Ratchet entered the room, carrying his trusty but dreaded wrench. " Easy, Bulkhead," he called as a came across the room. " I just finished pounding some dents out of her, I don't want to start all over again."

"_ Hmm, that's not what he said when he was throwing his wrench at me_," Hunter couldn't help but smirk to herself.

" Well I hate to break it to you, Ratchet," Arcee said, turning to face the medic, fists perched on her hips, " but if the kids are with the 'Cons, you just might have to."

Hunter turned to the blue and black femme. " How is it _**my**_ fault if the 'Cons captured them?!" she shrieked placing a hand on her chest.

" You were the last one with them," Arcee stated with a shrug. " It was your job to protect them."

" I _**was**_ protecting them!" Hunter exclaimed. " But it was like twenty 'Cons to one of me and they blasted me with some sort of stun ray that knocked my powers out. They tied me up and I yelled for the kids to run—they did. Then the Decepti-creeps pinned me down and Bombardier knocked me out. There was nothing I could do; it wasn't my fault!"

Without warning, Optimus stepped in front of her, blocking her vision to the other 'Bots. " All right, sweet-spark," he crooned gently. " That's enough now. It' all right." He reached out and, with the very tip of one of his digits, wiped something wet and warm off her cheek.

Hunter stared in sheer bewilderment at the moisture as it glistened on the Prime's fingertip. Slowly, she reached up, wiped her fingers across her cheekbone, and examined her findings. Tears! She'd started crying? Were her nerves really that frayed that she would start crying without even realizing it? Suddenly a lump formed in the fifteen-year-old's float and the sting of more bitter tears blurred her vision. Sniffling, the girl turned away. She swallowed hard and wiped her eyes, getting rid of the tears. " I'm okay," she sniffled, still facing away from the Prime. " I'm okay. Just... just worried, that's all."

Even though her back was to him, Optimus nodded.

That's when Hunter's phone burst into sound. " _**Because when I arrive I-I bring the fire. Make you come alive—I can take you higher. What is this: forgot? I must now remind you. Let it rock, let it rock, let it rock!**_"

Hunter whipped around and grinned joyously at her spark-father. That was Jack's ringtone! Quick as a wink, the fifteen-year-old slipped her phone out of her pocket and answered it, the weight of dread lifting off her chest. " Jack!" she exclaimed in relief. " Oh, thank God you called! We thought you, Miko, and Raf were..."

" _**Taken by the Decepticons?**_" a male's voice that wasn't Jack's interrupted.

Hunter froze. A frigid chill ran up her spine and through her body, chilling her to the bone and causing goosebumps to rise up on her arms. Her stomach twisted into one big knot. " Who is this?" she just dared the question. She had an idea of who it was; she just hoped to Primus that she was wrong.

" _**Oh, that's right**_," the voice mused. " _**We haven't properly met, have we?**_"

Hunter remained silent, waiting for a name.

" _**I'm the one responsible for the bounty on your spark.**_"

Another tremor wracked Hunter's body. Her eyes widened slightly and she gulped. " Starscream," she barely dared to whisper his name, her lips hardly moving.

Optimus, who had been listening the entire time, suddenly turned around at the mention of the Seeker 'Con's name and motioned to Ratchet. " Ratchet," he said, voice at a whisper, " patch into the frequency."

Ratchet only nodded, then rushed to the computer. After typing in a few codes, he'd tapped into the frequency of Hunter's cell phone and began playing it aloud so that they could all hear both sides of the conversation.

An evil chuckle came from the other end. " _**So**_," Starscream sounded somewhat impressed and amused, " _**you **_**do**_** know my name.**_"

" How could I not?" Hunter replied, trying to sound calm and collected. " After all, every one of your lackey's that came after me made sure that your name and desire to snuff my spark was announced loud and clear before they tried to put me under." As she spoke, Hunter kept her eyes on the squiggly bar on the computer screen as the wavelengths rose and fell with the frequency of both hers and Starscream's voices. It was the only thing that could keep her composed. " And for the record, Starscream, I don't respect mechs who don't have the ball-bearings to do their dirty work themselves."

"_** Tsk, tsk, tsk**_," Starscream tsked his tongue at his side of the line. " _**So rash and sharp-tongued. If I were you, Hunter James, I would watch my mouth and think carefully about what I was going to say before I said it. Especially since I'm calling you from your friend's cellular device.**_"

Another tremor went through Hunter's body and she knew that Starscream was right. She hated that. " What have you done to them, Starscream?" she hissed, her teeth clenched and her left hand balled into such a tight fist her knuckles showed white and cracked. A raging hot fire of anger burned and consumed her spark. If he'd hurt them...

" _**What have I done to whom?**_" the Seeker tried to sound innocent, like he knew nothing.

" You know exactly who!" Hunter roared, suddenly forgetting to keep her cool. " Where are Jack, Miko, and Raf?!"

There was a long pause at Starscream's end, like he was thinking over and trying to figure out just what and who she meant. " _**Oh, you mean the fleshling children**_," he finally returned. " _**They are aboard my ship; safe...**_" there was another pause and, even though she'd never officially met the mech, Hunter could just about see a demented sadistic grin parting his lipplates, "_**... for now.**_"

Hunter trembled in rage and fear again. " I swear upon the AllSpark, Starscream, if you've hurt them I'll..."

" _**I hate to break it to you**_," the 'Con cut her off yet again, " _**but you're not exactly in any position to be making threats. Not if you want to see your precious little human friends again in one piece.**_"

Hunter bit her lip and closed her eyes, knowing he was right again. She hated not having the upper-hand! She hated the fact that Starscream could manipulate her so easily! And she hated the fact that there was nothing she could do about it. " You're scum," she growled, barely audible, into the phone.

" _**No, no, my dear Huntress,**_" 'Scream patronized. " _**I'm an opportunist.**_"

" He keeps this up and he'll be a _**dead**_ opportunist," Fowler snarled.

Hunter didn't even hear him. " Let them go, 'Scream," she ordered, deadly calm, slow. " Let them go, or, Primus help me, I will hunt you down and rip you limb from limb. On my honor, I swear it."

An evil chortle came from the 'Con's side of the conversation. " _**I have no doubt that you would do as you promise**_," the vindictive Seeker responded, " _**but unfortunately for you, Hunter, you are not the one calling the shots here.**_"

The knot in Hunter's stomach pulled even tighter. She was afraid he'd say that, and the really terrifying thing about it was that he was right. _**Again**_. He had the hand. He was in control of the game and in control of her. She was just a pawn; she played by his rules. She couldn't afford not to.

" _**I have a proposition for you**_," Starscream's fiendish voice brought the fifteen-year-old out of her thoughts.

Hunter stayed silent, waiting and preparing herself.

" _**I will return the humans to you, safe and sound, if you come to meet me, faceplate to faceplate. I want to see just who the Fuser really is.**_"

The teenager bristled. " I am _**not**_ the Fuser," she growled gutturally. " You've got the wrong girl."

The mech simply chuckled. " _**Maybe**_," he replied. " _**Let's find out and see just what you're made of. Oh, and one more thing, my sweet: come alone. I don't want to see Prime or any other Autobot within a one mile radius of you. You are to be **_**unaccompanied**_**.**_"

Feeling suddenly daring, Hunter perched a fist on her hip and spat back, " And if I refuse?" All at once, the tone that meant she'd received a text message chimed in her ear. Cocking an eyebrow, Hunter pulled the device away and looked at the screen. It was from Jack's phone. Slowly, more dread settling in the pit of her stomach, Hunter opened the message. Her spark stopped mid-beat. It was a snapshot of Jack, Miko, and Raf in some sort of cell. They were all hanging from the ceiling with chains wrapped around their arms, and they were all gagged and blindfolded. As if the picture wasn't haunting and alarming enough, Hunter scrolled a bit further down to find the message, written in all capital letters, screaming at her.

* * *

**THEY DIE.**

* * *

Hunter began to tremble violently, so violently in fact that she was barely able to hold onto her phone. Her breathing shaky, the girl brought the phone back to her ear. Fear brimmed in her sapphire-blue eyes. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and her throat was extremely tight.

" **_Understand?_**" Starscream questioned darkly.

The fifteen-year-old year just barely managed to nod her head. " Yes," she whispered, voice quivering.

"**_Good,_**" the vile Decepticon sounded viciously thrilled. "**_I'm glad we see optic-to-optic. You have twenty-four hours._**" And with that the line went dead.


	27. Resonating Truths

**Just kind of a filler chapter here people, but I still think it's a good one. Ya wanna know why? No-not just because I wrote it (though that does give it a sort of irresistible need to read it XDDD) but because WE GET TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HUNTER'S PAST HERE! HAHA! **

**Skyress98—Um... I think that's the first time I've ever heard that insult. XDDD And, maybe it's just me, but I don't think 'Scream cares whether he's cheating or not. But for the record—HE **_IS_** A CHEATER! A BIG, FAT CHEATER! I'm sure he's trembling in his Stilettos now... -_-**

** Alice Gone Madd—Yes I am evil. **_Very_**... evil... * evil laugh ***

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize. **

**Oh, and uh, the flame-saber is also mine-inspired by the starsaber, as it was-so nobody can ever use it in anything without asking me first. Actually, it'd be pointless to use it in anything anyway since Hunter's the only one who can wield it so... the first point is not officially moot. Hmm... I kinda just bit myself with that one...**

* * *

The Pacific; _Honor_

25

Ω Resonating Truths Ω

" I just don't understand why she can't just call Starscream back and demand that he let the kids go or she tears his fraggin' army apart," Arcee declared as she paced back and forth, hands on her hips. It had been a little over an hour since Starscream had contacted Hunter, telling her that he had Jack, Miko, and Raf, and, if she ever wanted to see them alive again, she had to come meet him... alone. Hunter had since bridged off, saying she needed to go off by herself and think. The humans—save Agent Fowler—had returned to the Lennox Ranch with the plan of contacting the kid's parents (or host-parents in Miko's case) and letting them know that they were having a "study-night/sleep-over" at the Lennoxes' house so that they wouldn't start to worry. Everyone else, on the other hand, had stayed at the base, freaking out and/or trying to come up with some sort of plan and/or griping about the gravity of the current situation. " I mean, seriously! She's the slaggin' Fuser for Primus' sake!"

" As true as that may be, Arcee," Ratchet replied from his spot by the computer, where he was trying frequency after frequency in a desperate attempt to try and locate the Nemesis, " I'm afraid that Hunter—despite her power—would be no match for the entire Decepticon force. She is young and inexperienced after all. And it seems to me that she has yet to accept what she truly is."

" Besides," Bulkhead pointed out, " we don't even know where the 'Cons' warship is. How is Scar supposed to take on 'Scream's army when she doesn't even know where they are?"

The blue and black femme turned on the bulky, green mech. " You're taking _**her side**_ now?!"

Bulk held up his hands, looking somewhat offended that he would ever take the side of a filthy Hybrid-scum. " No!" he nearly shrieked. " I'm not taking her side, but I _**am**_ trying to think of what's best and safest for Miko. If Hunter's our best shot at getting the kids back in one piece, we gotta think clearly and carefully about this."

Bumblebee came up beside Ratchet and looked up at the computer screen. " Anything, Ratch?" he beeped.

" No," Ratchet sighed in dismay and exasperation. " No, no! Nothing! Their cloaking shield is too strong for us penetrate."

" You have to keep trying, Ratchet," Fowler proclaimed from his spot on the catwalk.

Grumbling in Cybertronian, Ratchet began the sequence again. " Right."

* * *

The ground-bridge opened with it's ever-familiar boom on the beach of Oasis Lake. Optimus marched stoically out. His feet left the hard-light bottom of the bridge and met the soft red sand of the beach. It was a risky move, he knew, to bridge to a location that was very popular with the public, but it was a risk he was willing to take. Besides, once he saw Hunter sitting there in the sand in her Cybertronian form, he didn't have to worry.

The bridge boomed out and it was just the two Cybertronians left by the lakeside. The Prime stayed on his side of the beach for a few minutes, simply watching the femmling. Through their link, he could feel the worry, guilt, anger, and confusion weighing heavily on her spark. His own broke for her. It just seemed as though nothing could ever go right for Hunter—she was always being tested in some way! Sighing heavily, the Autobot commander began striding towards his beloved charge. He didn't announce his arrival. He didn't have to; Hunter could feel his presence, and, even though the sand muffled his footsteps a great deal, they were still audible. When he had reached her side he sank down into the sand beside her, without saying a word: one leg stretched out comfortably, and the other bent upwards to where he could rest an arm on his knee. Splaying his other hand out on the ground in the space between them and resting some of his weight there, Optimus gazed at the Hybrid in silence, studying her body language. She was sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around them, hugging them too her, and her face was buried in her arms. She was stock still.

If Optimus hadn't have known any better, he would've thought she'd fallen asleep like that. But he did know better. Right now, he knew that the furthest thing from Hunter's mind was sleep, and he also knew that right now she was far too uneasy to fall asleep and couldn't have even if she'd been dead tired. The mech continued to sit and watch silently.

Finally, Hunter spoke. " I feel so sick to my stomach, big guy," she admitted, her voice barely audible both from the fact that her face was buried in her arms and the fact that she'd spoken so softly. " I seriously just wanna puke right now."

Optimus said nothing.

With a sigh, Hunter raised her head, leaned over, laid down, and rested her head in the Prime's lap.

Optimus moved the hand that was on his knee to her shoulder. Instinctively, he began stroking her arm and side.

Gazing out at the lake, Hunter was barely even aware the Prime was touching her. It was several minutes before she spoke again. " How could I have let this happen?" her voice was hardly above a whisper.

" Hunter," Optimus crooned, voice calm and soothing, " you can't blame yourself for the situation." He gently squeezed her shoulderplate. " It wasn't your fault, sweet-spark."

" I told them to run," Hunter answered, not looking away from the water.

" You couldn't have known what would happen."

" No, I could have. Foresight, remember?"

" Not even those with your gift can see all ends, Hunter."

" Yeah, you're tellin' me. I swear my foresight only works when it wants to and then leaves me to fend for myself the rest of the time."

" You will learn to control it in time."

" Time?" Hunter snagged onto the word. She looked up at her mentor with a look that said she was shocked he'd even mention the concept. " What time do you think we have, Optimus? We're _**out**_ of time, big guy!" The fifteen-year-old suddenly lurched to her feet, and stood before the mech, fists on her hips, anger and desperation on her faceplate. " The 'Cons captured the kids, Starscream's got 'em, and he's given me twenty-four hours to get 'em back. _**Twenty-four hours**_, Optimus." Hunter threw her arms off to the sides, hands outspread, and shrugged. " And that wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that I have absolutely no friggin' idea where his Primusforsaken warship is!"

Optimus only looked at her sympathetically.

Half-growling half-roaring, Hunter spun away and kicked at the sand, creating a very deep gouge in the earth. " Ugh! I _**hate**_ this! He has the upper-hand and there is absolutely nothing I can do but play by his rules! I _**hate**_ it! I can't let Jack, Miko, and Raf die because of me! I can't! I can't! I... rrrraaaahhhh!" Hot, burning tears of fear, anger, and frustration stung the teen's optics. Gritting her teeth and screwing her eyes shut, the girl dug the heels of her fists into her eyes in order to stop them from flowing. She didn't want to cry right now—she was too upset to cry—she _**hated**_ crying!

As he sat there in the sand watching her, Optimus' spark absolutely melted in pain for his little Hybrid. He hated seeing her like this. Rising to his feet, Optimus stepped towards her and slowly put his arms around her, keeping his embrace loose until she accepted.

Hunter did one step better than accept his hug; she turned around and dug her face into his chestplate, wrapping her arms around his middle at the same time. She took a deep, shuddering vent and released it. Optimus' arms were still the only things that could calm her down and make her feel safe and warm.

The Prime held her as closely and as tightly as he could. He gently stroked her backplate. " Hunter..." he started to say, but she interrupted him.

" He'll kill me, Optimus," the femmling whispered. " Or he'll try to." Her grip around him tightened.

The red and blue Autobot cradled the back of her head in one hand.

" I... I don't wanna die again, Optimus. It was scary... and I had to be ripped away from my parents again, along with the the feeling of knowing everyone I cared about was safe. But I don't wanna lose my friends either." Hunter closed her optics again and nuzzled deeper into her spark-father's chest. " Optimus... I'm scared."

Optimus felt his spark almost split in half. He held the scarlet and black-and-silver striped femmling closer to him. " I know, my shooting star," he whispered into her audio-receptor. " I am too."

The two stood in silence for a long moment, holding each other, each trying to let the other know that it was going to be okay.

" I always did enjoy witnessing hugs between those who care for each other," a sudden male's voice startled the two.

Still in each others arms, Optimus and Hunter looked towards the right (well, technically that'd be Optimus' left) and were met with the sight of another Hybrid, sitting on a boulder a few yards away. He was rather small, maybe only ten to twelve feet in height, and looked elderly. His armor, which had, at one time, been rich maroon and shining silver, had faded to a dull gray and a dusty raspberry color. Rusty spots flecked and offset the edges of his armor. His optics were a sparkling blue-green with a very slight hint of purple, and his headset looked somewhat like a ten-gallon hat if you thought about it.

Hunter's optics widened and she gasped, finally recognizing the old coot. Pulling out of Prime's grasp, she turned to face the old Hybrid. " Greasy?!" she laughed, grinning from audio-receptor to audio-receptor, hands on her hips. " What are you doing here?"

" You know him?" Optimus questioned, looking down at her and raising an optic ridge.

Still grinning, the fifteen-year-old met the Prime's gaze. " Uh-huh," she nodded. " He helped me when I ran away. He's a friend of my dad's."

" More than a friend, actually," Greasy corrected. " My sparkmate and I—Primus rest her soul—were close friends of your grandcreators and were chosen to be Comet Thunder's spark-parents."

" Spark-parents?" Optimus repeated the word in confusion.

" Remember how we talked about how some kids have certain people in their lives that their parents choose to look after their children if something happens to them?" Hunter said by way of explanation. " Godparents? Well, that's essentially what spark-parents are, except they share the same physical link with their spark-children as birth parents would."

Optimus simply nodded, then something clicked in his processor. " So would that mean that I'm your..."

" Yes and no," Greasy broke in. " Yes, because you are not Hunter's biological father but still share a spark-link with her. No, because, even though you aren't her birth father, Hunter has always belonged to you and you have been bonded to her from the beginning. Spark-parents usually don't form the physical bond with their children until the time of their first transformation."

" Why is that?" Optimus asked.

Hunter listened intently for the answer. She was just as curious about the complexities of spark-parents and was more than eager to learn more about her heritage and where she came from. This seemed like the perfect place to start.

" Every Hybrid child has a spark-parent or -parents," Greasy explained. " It has been that way ever since our very first ancestors had offspring of their own. The concept of spark-parents originated from the same idea that godparents did: to look after the offspring of a couple, should something ever happen to them. But, looking after a child just simply isn't enough; they must also feel truly loved and cared for. For Cybertronians, this need is exceptionally dire."

" Why?" Hunter inquired.

" Because, for sparklings," Optimus answered, drawing her attention and meeting her quizzical optics, " the connection between them and their creators is so strong that should something take their creators or their creators' love away from them, they can actually perish." A sad, sorrowful look was in his eyes as he said this. He hated thinking about such a horrible and morbid thing, and watching Hunter die in his arms once—even though it wasn't his fault—made it hurt worse.

Hunter suddenly looked just as melancholy as the Prime. " That's... that's terrible," she whispered, looking down at the sand. Releasing a heavy sigh, the fifteen-year-old flashed back to her past life and all the families and pain she'd been through in the foster system. " It certainly does explain a lot of things though." She looked back up and met her commander's gaze again. " I can't tell you how many times I felt like just... giving up on everything because of a broken and empty spark. Because I thought nobody wanted or... loved me."

Smiling sadly and sympathetically, Optimus reached out and gently stroked her cheekplate with the backs of his fingers. " My beloved Hunter..." he murmured with all the love and adoration in the world.

Hunter returned his smile with a small one of her own. A single tear dribbled down her cheek. She didn't feel like that anymore, now that she had Optimus. Thank God she'd found Optimus!

Greasy continued to sit there on the rock, silently watching the loving exchange between this not-so-new but still-recently-found family. He absolutely loved it when those who belonged together—in whatever way—found each other. The fact that it was these two made it all the more sweet.

Finally, the young Hybrid and the Prime turned back to the old—possibly _**ancient**_—mech. " So why is it that spark-parents and children form the bond during the first transformation, Greasy?" Hunter brought the original question back to the surface.

" Ah, yes," Greasy came back. " Well, it's simply due to the fact that the very first transformation a Hybrid ever goes through—always from human to Cybertronian form—is so stressful on their spark as well as their body, that they need an extra jolt—for lack of a better word—to accomplish it. With a touch, the spark-parent gives the child the strength to complete the transformation and forms the spark-to-spark bond."

" Then that's what happened when you touched me during mine," Hunter noted, looking back at Optimus.

" Yes," Greasy agreed, but there was a tone in his voice that said that that wasn't completely right, " but yours was a bit more complex."

" How so?" Optimus replied, raising an optic-ridge.

" Well, first of all, you weren't really forming the bond because it already existed between your sparks. You were more solidifying it. And then there was the severity of Hunter's transformation. In fact, it was so severe, that the very fact that you already shared a link with her—even an incomplete link—was the only thing that allowed you to save her. You see, the reason Hunter's transformation was so... painful..."

" That's sugarcoating it," Hunter mumbled, recalling the indescribable misery.

"... is because she's not completely Hybrid. Her mother was human."

The femmling's and the red and blue mech's jaws dropped—Hunter's quite a bit further than Optimus'. Their optics bulged wide.

" Say what?!" Hunter shrieked.

" Is that even possible?" Optimus asked at the same time.

" Oh, yes, quite," Greasy proclaimed seriously. " Of course, the results usually end better when it's a Hybrid female reproducing with a human male than the other way around. Carrying a Hybrid baby around for nine months is nearly ten times more stressful on a human female than carrying around a human infant is. Most Hybrid offspring coming from an interspecies couple where the mother is human are born prematurely simply due to this fact." Greasy suddenly looked and grinned at the young Hybrid. " You, my dear Huntress, were born about three months early."

Hunter stared at the old Hybrid in disbelief while Optimus looked her up and down with much the same expression. Hunter—_**his**_ Hunter—had been born prematurely?! That was almost too insane to believe! By the AllSpark, Primus knows you'd never be able to tell just by looking at her now—the teenager was nearly twice the size of most girls and femmlings her age.

" I-I was a pre-mie?" the fifteen-year-old stuttered. By the AllSpark she was learning a lot about herself today!

Greasy simply nodded.

" How do you know this?" Optimus demanded, looking at the small mech in shocked wonder.

The old Hybrid shrugged. " I was the one who helped Quinn to birth Hunter."

A long and—needless to say—stupefied silence fell over the beach. During that period, both mechs watched the femmling in their presence very carefully. They waited for her reaction.

For the longest time, Hunter didn't move. It was a good thing she was in Cybertronian form and, therefore, didn't need to breathe because right then she wasn't. Her optics were wide, her gaze hovering somewhere between Greasy's gaze and the ground. Greasy had been there at the time of her birth? He'd helped her mother bring her into the world? " Y-you knew..." Hunter swallowed hard, finding it suddenly hard to talk, "... my mom?"

Greasy only nodded.

Hunter barely dared the next question. " Wh-what was she like?"

The old mech gave a small smile, remembering the young woman who had stolen his spark-son's spark. " A beautiful, one-of-a-kind angel," he answered, his voice holding a reminiscing tone. His optics slightly shone with tears. " Quinn was the love of Comet's life; the very first time he laid eyes on her, he knew she was the one. It took a bit more convincing to get her so see it, though. It took Comet nearly two whole months to finally to get her to say 'yes' to one date with him, but after that she was hooked. About a year later I was marrying them." Greasy then released cynical snort. " It was just one more thing for your grandparents to be ashamed of him for—marrying a human. For that—along with the fact that he didn't really have any powers—they promptly disowned him."

The fifteen-year-old's temper suddenly flared and without thinking she clenched her fist. " I think I'm starting to understand why Purebreds don't like Hybrids," she growled.

Optimus put an arm around her shoulders.

" Don't let your grandparents put a bad taste for your breed in your mouth, kiddo," Greasy replied reassuringly. " They're all worried about trying to regain your family's reputation after what your great-great-grandsire did to it."

" Is the rest of my dad's side like that too?"

" Save your father, yes."

" Joy."

" Now, where was I? Oh, yes, Quinn." Greasy suddenly chuckled, getting that faraway look again. " By the AllSpark, that girl was something. I've never seen a female—Purebred, Hybrid, or human—have as much gung-ho as she did. She was spit-fire, that one."

Optimus suddenly laughed. " Much like Hunter," he grinned, looking down at his spark-daughter.

Greasy looked at Hunter, grinning as well. " Exactly like Huntress."

Hunter couldn't help but smile at that. She liked knowing she had something in common with her mother—it made her feel more connected to the woman she'd never known. " Am I a lot like her?"

" You most definitely have her attitude," Greasy nodded. " For the most part though, you look more like your father with the red hair and deep blue eyes—Quinn had more auburn hair and light blue eyes. However, you have the kind of eyes that are open and deep: the kind a mech could get himself lost in. You show more emotion in them, just like your mom."

Hunter's smile grew bigger. It was great to finally actually learn some stuff about her mother as well as learn that she possessed some of the same qualities as the woman who'd bared her. She'd always been curious, but since nobody knew anything about her mother, much less where Hunter had really come from, they'd been left unanswered. Suddenly a new thought popped into the teenager's head. " Wait, hold up," she said, holding up her hands. " My mom was a human and my dad was a Hybrid... so does that mean that I'm, like, ¾ human?"

Optimus looked at the small Hybrid once again. He was curious about the answer to this question as well.

Greasy laughed. " No," he declared with a smile, " you're only half-human."

" But Hybrids _**are**_ half-human," Optimus pointed out.

" Yes, that's true," Greasy agreed, " but the human side of a Hybrid and a full-blooded human are not the same thing, they only look the same. You see Hybrid-humans are Cybertronian and humans are... well, Earthlings."

" So they're kinda like... alien-humans," Hunter concluded. " They're human, but they're from another planet and they have powers and abilities normal humans don't as well as a robot form."

" Precisely."

" So what about if I have kids with a human?"

" First of all, you will not be having children for a long while yet, young lady!" Optimus barked, going on the 'protective-father' offensive.

" Well, duh! I know that!" Hunter snapped back, glaring at him. " Jeesh, come on, I'm only _**fifteen**_, Prime! I don't wanna have kids yet! Not for another ten years at least, and then not till I'm married."

" You had better not be doing _**anything **_until you've bonded with your spark-mate."

" By the AllSpark, give me a little credit!"

Greasy couldn't help but laugh at the sudden argument between spark-father and -daughter.

Huffing and rolling her optics at the red and blue Prime, Hunter turned back to Greasy to repeat her question before she had been so rudely interrupted. " Anyway, what happens if I… er… a Hybrid who is half-human," the femmling corrected herself as Optimus gave her a look, " were to have children with a human?"

" The children would still be half-human," Greasy stated simply. " And the same would go for if a Hybrid and a Purebred had sparklings and then those sparklings had offspring with Purebreds as well. Understand that Hybrid genetics—because they are so different from any other genetics in the universe—are very powerful. They override other genetics so that the child, no matter who its parents are, has Hybrid abilities. I don't understand why, and I don't pretend to understand why: that's just the way it is."

Hunter thought about this for a moment. " Hmm. Well I guess that makes sense… sorta."

" Anyway," Greasy sighed, making a waving motion with his hands, " all facts and information aside, you, Optimus Prime, are the proud father of an intelligent, beautiful, and loving femmling." A joyful grin was parting the old Hybrid's lips once again. " Congratulations."

Smiling once again as well, Optimus turned back to Hunter—who was already looking at him—and cupped one of her cheekplates. " Yes," he agreed, voice soft and tender, " and I couldn't be happier... or more proud."

A blush creeped over Hunter's cheeks and she started to grin. She tried to bite it back and put on a frown, but only succeed in turning the grin into a suppressed smile. " Don't butter me up," she tried to snarl. " I'm still annoyed with you, buddy."

Optimus chuckled. " Yes, that would be why you're smiling."

Hunter giggled sheepishly. " Caught me," she meekly surrendered.

Yet again, Greasy simply took pleasure in watching this affectionate exchange between the two teammates. He knew how long the both of them had been waiting for this—for each other. The old mech didn't think he'd ever grow tired of watching these two grow closer together as a family. That's when something clicked in his mind. He smacked himself on the forehead, suddenly remembering the real reason for why he'd come. " Oh, blast it! Stupid me, I'm always forgetting in my old age. Hunter, I've brought something for you. A couple somethings actually." He turned and looked around the rock, searching for the somethings. " Dagnabit, I left 'em at home! Wait here, I'll be right back." And like that, Greasy had disappeared into thin air.

Optimus slightly jumped, optics wide, reminding Hunter that the Prime didn't know of Greasy's teleportation power. As far as that went, he didn't know a lot of things about Hybrids. Heck, there was still a lot of stuff about _**her**_ that they didn't know yet!

Suddenly Greasy popped back into his original position—perched atop the boulder as if he had never left. Slung over one shoulder was what looked like a quiver full of golden arrows, and held in his hands was the gracefully curving, golden shaft of an energy bow.

Hunter's optics lit up at the sight of the weapons. She didn't know how she knew that those were meant for her, she just did. Before she could stop herself, the teenager took an eager step towards the old Hybrid, eyes still on the bow and arrow set. She'd lost her last set in her first battle with Bombardier, and her digits just itched to get a hold of that sleek golden bow. She always had liked bows and arrows. Yet somehow, the fifteen-year-old managed to refrain from simply reaching out and snatching them out of Greasy's hands. It was Primus-awful though—waiting.

Grinning at the eagerness in her optics and body-language, Greasy slipped the quiver of arrows off his shoulder and slid the bow inside. He then took hold of it in both hands and offered it up to the scarlet and black-and-silver striped femmling. " This energy bow and arrow set was made specifically for Hybrids," the old mech explained as the gift was taken from his hands. " Unlike your last set, which was made just for Purebreds, you will be able to keep this one on you at all times. Hybrid weapons are made specially so that they will transform size with their bearers so that they can be used in either human or Cybertronian form. This set belonged to your father when he was your age. It was his first battle-class weapon. Trust in this bow, aim sure and true, and you will not easily miss your target." With the burden of the bow and arrows lifted away, Greasy reached over his shoulder and retrieved what looked like the golden hilt of a sword. Holding it by the guard, so that the grip was open for Hunter to grab, the mech held it out to her. " And this," he said, meeting the femmling's optics, " is the most sacred and coveted of all weapons: Hybrid and Purebred alike."

That's when Optimus stepped forward, optics wide and filled with wonder and awe. " The flame-saber," he marveled, voice barely above a whisper.

Greasy grinned at the younger mech. " You know of it, then?"

The Prime barely nodded. " It is the very stuff of myth and legend," he declared, voice a bit louder now, but still uncharacteristically soft for the Autobot commander. " Few believe it to exist."

" That's because few believe in the existence of the Fuser," Greasy proclaimed solemnly.

Hunter looked back and forth between the two mechs. " 'Flame-saber'?" she asked. " What exactly is the 'flame-saber'?"

" The sword of Primus' chosen one," Optimus replied, still staring at the gold hilt. " The sword of the Fuser." The red and blue 'Bot then looked at his spark-daughter, locking eyes with her.

Hunter felt both a wave of awe and excitement and a wave of fear and uncertainty wash over her spark. She looked back at Greasy.

" This sword was made only for the Fuser," Greasy explained further. " It awakens and responds only in the Fuser's hands; it can be used by no other. Through it, the Fuser can wield her power. It was forged by Primus himself the very day our ancestors graced the face of Cybertron—the same day Primus fused with the spark of our planet. For thousands of years, it has laid safe in the keeping of the Hybrid council and they passed it to me, when I was chosen to be the Fuser's watcher. From Primus to our ancestors, to our council sitting atop Mount Olympus, this has come to me. I have kept it with me for over three centuries, and, now, I am honored to finally pass it to you—it's one true wielder: Huntress Starstreaker James... Primus' chosen one."


	28. The Choice

** First of all—Happy Valentine's Day, people. Even though I don't like it, I'm sure some of you do, so have a great day, and here's my gift to you. I hope you all don't mind. XDD**

** Skyress98—Don't worry, she'll confront him in due time. :)**

** Alice Gone Madd—Yes, 'Screamer will most definitely get it... I personally guarantee it. *smiles evilly***

** SunnySides—Thank you. I kinda wrote all that out off the top of my head, because I was still (and still am) trying to come up with all of the Hybrid breed stuff, as well as Hunter's own past. And yes, Optimus is quite cute when he's in 'Daddy mode'. :) I try to make him as adorable as possible when I right him like that. And I'm so sorry to hear about your injury! Get better soon—maybe this will help make it happen. :)**

** Okay, onto the story!**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Hellfire! Dark fire... Now, gypsy, it's your turn. Choose me or... your pyre. Be mine or you will burn...!" The Hunchback of Notre Dame; _Hellfire_

26

Ω The Choice Ω

Hunter stared at the golden hilt of the flame-saber for the longest time. Once again her spark was filled with conflicting emotions. First, there was, of course, excitement because it was pretty exciting to find out that there was a weapon that had been made by Primus himself specifically for you. But that fact also contributed to her confusion. She still wasn't ready to call herself the Fuser yet, and, if she accepted this sword, wouldn't that be admitting to what she wasn't sure she wanted to be? Still, even in her denial, the fifteen-year-old was aching to check out that sword! Eh, what can you say? The girl appreciated fine weaponry; it was in her genes.

Slowly, with a somewhat unsteady hand, the femmling reached out towards the hilt. The tips of her shivering digits just barely touched the butt of the grip before she pulled her hand slightly back, a sudden twitch of timidness coming over her. Is this really what she wanted? Hunter was still unsure as to the question, but her curiosity and excitement were enough to override her uncertainty. Growing bold, the teenager firmly grasped the grip. It fit perfectly within her hand, emphasizing the point of Primus creating it just for her. Greasy's hands fell away from the handle, and Hunter brought the sword closer to her, holding the hilt vertical so that when the blade awakened, it would point to the sky.

For several minutes, the three Cybertronians watched and waited. Nothing happened.

Blinking, Hunter raised on optic-ridge. She looked down at Greasy, her gaze questioning and wanting answers. " It's not working," she stated the obvious. She turned her gaze towards the large red and blue Prime standing beside her. " Why isn't it working?"

" I don't know," Greasy answered, his voice at a soft mumble. He was scratching his helm, looking just as puzzled as the femmling. " I don't understand," he murmured more to himself than to anyone else. " It's not awakening. The blade is supposed to spring forth as soon as the Fuser grips it in her hand—why isn't it awakening?"

That's when a realization popped into Optimus processor. " Unless..." his voice trailed off, drawing the attention of the two Hybrids. His optics rose to lock with Hunter's.

" What?" she demanded, admittedly feeling like she was being accused of something.

" If I remember correctly," her spark-father began, " the legend of the flame-saber tells that the sword only responds to the Fuser's touch, but even then, it will only respond if she has truly accepted her destiny."

" Of course!" Greasy exclaimed, smacking for head. " Why did I not think of that?! The flame-saber will only awaken if the Fuser has accepted her destiny, and if she has not, it will remain in stasis until she does so."

" Wait, back up here," Hunter broke into the conversation, making a 'T' as best she could with her hands. " Are you telling me that in order to get this piece of scrap to work, I have to acknowledge that I'm really the Fuser?" Just then she realized that she'd perched her fists in her hips, so she let her hands slide away so that they were hanging at her sides again.

" Fully and completely," Greasy confirmed her assessment with a grin and a 'right-on-the-money' nod.

" Ugh!" Hunter rolled her optics. " Perfect—_**another**_ test. Just what I need!" With that, the femmling chucked the hilt on the ground and kicked it away, suddenly disgusted beyond belief with... well, she wasn't completely sure. She didn't know if it was the day or the situation or the sword or all this talk about being the Fuser. She wasn't even sure if it was _**herself**_ she was sick and tired of! She was just annoyed. That's all she knew, that's all she could process at the moment. " I am just so sick of this! I'm sick of being tested, and I'm sick of being treated like crap, and I'm sick of people calling me the Fuser! I mean, doesn't anybody get it?! I'm _**not **_the Fuser! I don't _**want**_ to be the Fuser! Why can't anyone understand that! Rrrraaaahhhh!" Clutching her head in her hands in sheer frustration, Hunter sank down to the sand. Before she could stop it, a single hot, angry tear found its way down her smooth cheekplate and dripped of her chin to the sand. The teen punched at the spot where it fell. " Stop it!" she screamed. Then she realized what she'd done and how insane it was. " I'm screaming at my tears now," she muttered to herself. " I'm losing my mind. _**Fantastic**_."

Sighing, Optimus knelt down and rested a hand on her shoulder. " Hunter," he said, voice soft but firm so it would grab her attention, " look at me." When she slowly obeyed, the Prime reached out with his other hand and tenderly cupped her cheek, running his thumb along the area where her cheekbone would have been if she'd been in human form. " Now, tell me, what exactly is so terrible about being the Fuser?"

Hunter's optics dropped away from his, the anger and frustration having left the very moment Optimus had touched her. Primus, how did he do that?! Wasn't _**she **_supposed to be the one with superpowers? " I..." she stammered, not really sure how to answer, "... I-I don't know."

" Yes, you do," Optimus prodded, his gaze stern but encouraging. " Tell me."

Still looking away from his bright blue eyes, Hunter shook her head. She looked tired and depressed. " I-It's just... I dunno, it's everything about it, I guess. I mean, being the Fuser means that the fate of the entire universe rests upon my shoulders, and accepting that I'm the Fuser means that I have to take that into account. That's a lot of pressure!" The femmling looked up to meet her commander's gaze then, fear and more tears shining in her optics. " I'm only fifteen, Optimus," she choked out, barely loud enough to be heard. " I'm just a kid. I don't even know if I'm ready for that kind of responsibility." Her eyes fell away from his again, and she screwed them shut and bit her lip to keep the tears from falling.

Feeling sympathetic for her, yet again, Optimus moved to sit beside her and pulled her into his side as he wrapped a strong, sheltering, comforting arm around her frame. " My dear Hunter," he crooned, gazing down at her, " do you remember what I told you the last time we were on this beach together?"

Opening her eyes again, Hunter looked up and gave a slight nod. " Yeah," she sniffled, rubbing her optics. " You said that despite what I might think, I'm never alone."

Lipplates curling into a loving smile, Optimus nodded his wise head. " The moment we met, I promised to always protect you and to always be there for you," he said. " I hold to that promise to this very day and to every day the future holds for us. You will not be solely responsible for the fate of the universe, Hunter, for I will be there every step of the way with you, helping to shoulder that burden. You will never be alone in your journey..." the Prime suddenly leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers, nuzzling her as he did, "... my shooting star."

With her spark warmed by the love and adoration generating through their bond at full force, Hunter grinned, reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, and nuzzled him back. The femmling closed her optics as her spark-father's lips suddenly found her scarred cheekplate and kissed it. She sighed happily. Never would she ever grow tired of this affectionate attention.

" Oh, how revoltingly sweet."

The sudden male voice startled the three 'Bots. They all looked off down the beach and were met with the numbing sight of a large, powerful looking mech with black and red body armor and a sadistic sneer on his face.

Optimus and Hunter's fuel-tanks dropped. They lurched to their feet, the Prime instinctively pulling his spark-daughter behind him so that he formed a wall between her and this vindictive murderer. The mech extracted one cannon and one blade, and the femmling did the same along with her shield. " Bombardier," they growled at the same time.

The bounty hunter paused in his treading and gave them an amused look. " Prepared to do battle already, huh?" he chuckled. He resumed his march towards them. " Can't say I'm surprised."

Suddenly Greasy stepped out in front of him, blocking his path towards the pair. He had arms crossed over his chest and—because Bombardier was so tall in comparison—was craning his neck to look up at the younger Hybrid.

Bombardier, in turn, once more stopped walking and stood no more than a few yards away from him. He looked down at the small mech.

For the longest time, the two of them stood there in silence, staring at each other, their faces emotionless. It almost seemed as though they were having a mind-to-mind exchange.

Finally, Greasy broke the quiet. " Nephew," he greeted Bombardier.

" Uncle," Bomber greeted back with a slight nod of the head.

Optimus' and Hunter's mouths dropped slightly open in shock. Greasy and Bombardier were _**related**_?!

" Did you know about this?" Optimus whispered.

" Not the slightest clue," Hunter uttered back.

Greasy and Bomber had fallen quiet again, still looking at each other, faceplates still void of any emotion. Then suddenly Bombardier raised his right hand across his body and brought it down hard across his uncle's face in a resounding backhand. " Hah!"

Hunter cried out, " Greasy!"

" No!" Optimus shouted at the same time.

" Aaagh!" Greasy flew backwards and off to the side before hitting the ground again half-way down the beach. He laid there, unmoving.

Bombardier laughed. " The old coot, never was one for anticipating moves," he sighed. " Ahh!" The mech flew back and hit the beach as two lasers blasted him in the shoulders. Shaking his head, he opened his optics to see the Prime and the femmling pointing their cannons at him. He snarled. Groaning, he rolled onto his side and started to rise to his feet again. " Son of a... gah!" He was kicked solidly and squarely across the jaw and knocked back down again. Blinking through the pain, he once again looked up to see an infuriated scarlet and black-and-silver striped femmling glowering down at him, her gun retracted but both sets of razor exposed and sharp. His gaze lowered and wandered further down the beach to see her guardian kneeling beside and tending to his uncle. He was kicked again, this time in a very particularly sensitive place. Bomber moaned loudly and clutched at said area, curling into a protective ball. " You glitch!"

" Get up," Hunter demanded, pointing a razor set down at him.

Bomber continued to lay there.

Hunter kicked him in the side. " I said _**get up**_!" The mech just simply laid there and the fifteen-year-old growled. She brought her leg back one more time. She swung it forward. " If you know what's good for you, you'll..." she broke off in a gasp as Bombardier grabbed her ankle. " Whoa!" The femmling was jerked down to the ground and pinned beneath her enemy before she could even blink.

The minute he had her on the ground, Bomber snatched up the Hunter's wrists in a tight, unbreakable hold, stuck a foot in her chest, and sunk one of his knees into her gut so that it would be extremely uncomfortable for her to try and sit up. He then pushed her down into the sand as much as he could, using all his weight to hold her down. " That's enougha that, tidbit," he half-snarled, half-groaned. He was still throbbing thanks to her kick.

Hunter struggled against him. The spike on his knee dug into her middle the more she strained, but she still tried to fight her way free. Why did it suddenly seem like Bomber was stronger than he had been?

" Quit squirmin', brat!" the bounty hunter commanded.

Hunter just growled. " What I should do is rip you three ways from Sunday," she spat in his face.

" Tough talk from someone who's on the bottom of the pile."

" Not for long! Hah!" Somehow Hunter had worked her legs up underneath of the mech, and now she thrust her feet up into his mid-plate, jettisoning up and backwards. She groaned in relief. By the AllSpark, he was heavy, and that knee-spike of his hurt! Then Hunter leaped to her feet. Bringing up her fists again, claws still extracted, she watched and waited as the red and black bounty hunter found his feet. Then she lunged. " Rrrraaaahhhh!" She swung her right fist forward, getting ready to slice his head off his shoulders, when suddenly her wrist was seized in yet another crushing grip, stopping her in her tracks. Roaring, Hunter threw her other razor set forward. She was caught again. With everything within her, Hunter tried to break free of his grip, but he held her fast. Primus, he really _**did**_ seem to be stronger! Still the teenager strained. Coolant beaded on her forehead and dripped down her face with the effort.

Noticing her strain, Bombardier's lips twisted into a smug sneer and he chortled evilly. " Havin' a little trouble there, huh, tidbit?"

" Take it and shove it!" the femmling hissed.

" Have ya even stopped to consider why it's so hard for you to break outta my grip?"

" I swear you pull that "caliber of your enemies" crap on me again, I'll shred you into such tiny pieces they'll be able to use you as confetti!"

" Oh, don't worry 'bout that, tidbit," Bomber assured her. " No more of that; I think ya got the picture last time. No, what I mean is why do you think I'm suddenly as strong as you are?"

Hunter didn't answer, just kept trying to break away from him. Still, in the back of her mind, the fifteen-year-old couldn't help but wonder the question.

" I mean, come on, tidbit," Bombardier went on. " As the Fuser you're supposed to be stronger, faster, more powerful than any other Hybrid that ever lived."

" I am _**not**_ the Fuser," Hunter hissed.

" Maybe," Bomber nodded. " We'll have to see how many times you have to be killed before you stop coming back to life."

Hunter rumbled. That's when it clicked in her head. Bombardier knocking her out simply by touching her; the dizziness and weakness she felt, like her life-force had been sucked out of her; and now Bomber being stronger than before. Of course—it all made sense! " It's your power," she mused, voice soft and low as the realization continued to sink in.

" _She's got it figured out_," he marveled to himself as his smirk began to twist up into a grin.

" It's your power," Hunter declared more loudly. " You have an absorption factor that allows you to take people's powers when you touch them and use those powers as your own."

" That and siphon information from their heads," the mech added with a twisted grin.

" You used it to kill my father," Hunter whispered, a dangerous edge in her voice. " You drained every last ounce of his life-force out of him and killed him!"

Bomber chuckled. " I did," he admitted. Without warning his grip around her wrists tightened and he began an attempt to push down to the ground. " And I could do the same to you right now." After a few moments, a slight crunching sound came from Hunter's arms.

" Uh!" Hunter bit her the inside of her cheek and tried to push the pain away, but the mech kept constricting her wrists. Finally the pressure of being pushed down and the pain in her arms became too much and she had to back down. The femmling slowly sank to her knees, groaning.

" But it's so much more fun just bringing you to your knees," Bombardier sinisterly declared, voice quiet so only the teenager could hear. He released her.

Hunter fell off to the side, releasing a deep sigh of relief. Then she rubbed her sore wrists—thanks to her healing factor, they didn't hurt for long—and she glared up at the bounty hunter. " I should kill you," she rasped.

" Ya could," Bomber agreed with a nod, " but then you'd be sendin' your friends to certain death."

" What are you saying?" Optimus questioned carefully. The Autobot had made his way back up the beach, carrying an unconscious Greasy. He moved to lay the old Hybrid down on the soft beach sand.

Bomber's lips twisted into that sick grin again. " I've got something you need," he proclaimed.

Grunting, Hunter rose to her feet and gave him a hard look. " What could you possibly have that we need?" she demanded, perching one of her fists on her cocked hip.

Still grinning, Bombardier stepped forward and walked passed Hunter to stand in between her and her mentor.

The femmling turned and watched him with wary optics. Rule number one: never turn your back on the enemy. Especially when said enemy was this dude!

Glancing back over his shoulderplate, Bomber met her optics. " I can give ya the coordinates for the location of the Nemesis."

Hunter's spark skipped a beat. Her optics quickly flashed up passed Bombardier to meet those of her commander. This was it! This was how she could save Jack, Miko, and Raf! Still, Optimus' gaze warned her to think carefully and proceed with caution before taking anything the bounty hunter told her into consideration, and the teen knew he was right. Bomber had taken her life once already and had hunted her before that. Anything he said could be setting her up for a trap. Optics coming back to her enemy-suddenly-turned-ally, the fifteen-year-old crossed her arms over her chestplate. She looked at him harder. " That's quite an offer," she replied, voice cool and emotionless. " Why would you give me this information? I thought you and Starscream were in cahoots."

Bomber threw back his head in a hearty chortle that made a tremor ripple down Hunter's spine. " Ya make it sound like I've gone partners with him, tidbit," he laughed.

" Haven't you?" Hunter pried, giving him the evil-eye. " I mean, he _**is**_ paying you and you're doin' all his dirty work for him. Sounds like the ideal 'Con partnership to me."

" Believe half of what ya hear, tidbit," Bombardier remarked, turning to face her. " I don't like 'Screamer anymore 'n you do."

" So why work for him?"

" Good pay."

" That's a poor reason," Optimus broke back into the conversation. His massive arms were crossed tightly over his broad chest, and his optics were just as cold and hard as those of his spark-daughter. He was scowling at the bounty hunter in such a way that, if he'd had the ability, he would've smote him right there.

Bomber nodded. " True," he acknowledged, " but it's still a reason."

" If she were to take this offer," the Prime asked, returning to the situation at hand, " what would be in it for you?"

The red and black mech simply shrugged his massive shoulders. " I like games," he replied as if it were the simplest thing in the world. " Now do you want the coordinates or not?" He had turned back towards Hunter and was aiming the question at her.

Hunter glared at her enemy. " Give me a reason why I should trust you."

" You shouldn't," Optimus responded, still glaring at mech as well.

" Your Prime's right, tidbit," Bomber confessed. " Ya shouldn't trust me and ya have no reason to." Then he gave her a twisted smirk. " But I ain't askin' ya to trust me." He leaned down closer to her and whispered into her audio-receptor, " I'm askin' ya to _**believe**_ me."

Hunter's optics narrowed, but she remained silent.

After a minute, Bombardier pulled away, announced the coordinates so that both the Prime and femmling could hear them, and then began to walk away. Suddenly he paused. " Just remember, tidbit," he said, not looking back. " Ya ain't got forever." And with that he disappeared, making Hunter and Optimus realize that he must have absorbed Greasy's powers.

As Hunter stared at the spot where Bombardier had disappeared, she thought about what he'd said. '_But I ain't askin' ya to trust me. I'm askin' ya to _**believe**_ me._' The fifteen-year-old bit her lip. She had two choices now: she could either believe that Bomber had been telling the truth, or she could forget what he'd said and try to find another way to get to the Nemesis. If she believed the hunter and he'd been lying, she'd be walking right into a trap, but if she didn't and she tried to do it on her own, there was next to no hope that Jack, Miko, and Raf would ever be saved. They'd be mercilessly slaughtered. Hunter couldn't let that happen. Then the teen realized that if Bomber _**was**_ telling the truth, and the coordinates _**did **_take her to the warship, she'd be caught in a trap anyway.

The femmling sighed heavily and rubbed her temples. She had a sudden migraine, and who could blame her? Getting hunted down, finding out she was an alien, getting killed, coming back to life, her friends getting kidnapped and their lives resting in her hands, tests, decisions—life had been _**so**_ much easier before Jasper, Nevada!


	29. Acts of Courage

**Guys, I'm afraid I have bad news-I'm sick. My throat hurts, I feel like crap, and I think it might be strep because that crap's been goin' around my school. But fortunately uploading stuff makes me feel better and getting reviews makes me feel **_even_** better. Lol. So please leave me some nice reviews, because I could use a little pick-me-up today. :) Thanks.**

**I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

X-Ray Dog; _Acts of Courage_

27

Ω Acts of Courage Ω

" Are you sure you are comfortable?"

Grinning, Hunter looked up at the red and blue Prime who was looking at and mincing around her with sheer concern and utter worry. " Big guy," she giggled, " relax." It had been several hours since she, Optimus, and Greasy had all returned from the lake and their meeting with Bombardier. After a long, heavenly, hilarious moment of Greasy's introduction to the rest of the team **[A/N I will be writing this "deleted scene" as a short story later. Thanks to one of my DA friends for giving me the idea! (If I don't find the time to write it, I will give the task to anyone who wishes to tackle it and see if they can do as good a job of writing with my OC as me)]**, the remainder of the waking day had been spent with a check-up from Ratchet (despite Hunter's protests), a long hot shower to clean up and soothe achy muscle cables, and then another hour or so of her spark-father and remaining human friends trying to get her mind off all the drama that was happening. The Lennox's, Epps, and Agent Fowler has since left for home and nobody had seen Greasy for a couple hours or so. Hunter had decided to stay the night at the base—where there was absolutely no chance of her energy-signature being detected so that the Lennox's would be protected. Also, it was here where she could get new information on Jack, Miko, and Raf if Starscream decided to change his game plan.

Hunter shook her head. " Sheesh! With the way you're actin', you'd think I was on death's door." The fifteen-year-old Hybrid suddenly realized just how _**not**_ funny her joke was as she remembered what had happened only about a week ago. The grin melted away and she looked down at the floor. " I..." she stammered, biting her lip, "...I shouldn't've said that." Her stomach twisted as she remembered her death and the gravity of the current situation.

" It's funny, is it not?" Optimus' voice brought her out of her thoughts.

" What?" Hunter asked, looking back up at him.

Optimus smiled sadly. " How once we've experienced something we used to joke about, it isn't as comical anymore," he answered.

Hunter snorted and looked back down at the floor. " Yeah," she huffed. " Tell me 'bout it." She sighed heavily. " I don't think I'll ever be able to talk about death without being serious ever again."

Striding across the room, Optimus lowered himself to the berth to sit beside her. He gave a fatherly pat to her knee. " Perhaps it is better that way," he commented gently.

His spark-daughter shrugged. " Maybe."

An uncomfortable, brooding silence fell over the room for a minute, before Optimus finally broke it. " So, are you sure that you will be comfortable in the sick-bay tonight?" he questioned for about the hundredth time. " Sarah did set up the hide-a-bed before she left. You could sleep there, if you wish." The Prime didn't know why he was being so cautious and worried about Hunter's stay tonight. It wasn't as though this had been the first time. Quite the contrary; this was just one of many, many, many times she had stayed at Autobot Outpost Omega One since being brought into the Autobot fold. In fact, before and after her transformation, Hunter had spent three or four consecutive nights at the base every other week (they still had yet to produce an official berthroom for her). This base was more her home than even the ranch. But maybe it wasn't the fact of her staying the night that had him on edge. Maybe it was just the sheer fact that the med-bay was the point of the base that was the furthest away from his quarters. Granted the living area out on the catwalk wasn't much closer to his room than the med-bay, but it wasn't exactly a separate room with it's own walls and doors. In other words, Optimus could _**hear **_Hunter on the catwalk. By having her sleep there and keeping his own door open—even just slightly—he could hear if something was wrong. Several times he'd gone to her aid for nightmares by utilizing that strategy. During those times, he'd also awoken in the morning with a sleeping Hunter curled up over the comfy, warm spot on his chestplate where his spark-chamber was. In short: Optimus was a worried as a new father.

Hunter smiled lovingly at the mech. " I'll be fine in here, Optimus," she assured him, putting a hand on his shoulderplate. " The light might bug me a little bit,"—Ratchet had insisted on keeping some form of light on the med-bay so that he'd be able to check on her throughout the night—" but I'll get used to it." She gave a dry chuckle. " Besides, I probably won't be sleeping much tonight anyway."

For a moment, Optimus studied her face in silence. It was amazing how at times Hunter could look neither young nor old—Optimus figured it must have had something to do with her being the Fuser. Right now, however, all the Prime could see in her face was fear and weariness. It broke the Prime' spark to see her in such distress. Today alone had probably taken ten thousand years off her life-cycle. He continued to watch quietly and she tediously raised a hand and began to rub at the back of her neck, grimacing as she tried to relieve the knot of stress that plagued her there. " Hunter?" he uttered her name softly. The femmling raised her beautiful pristine-blue optics to his and the Autobot commander smiled. " Would you like for me to rub your back?"

The Hybrid smiled sheepishly at her commander, but nodded her head all the same. She loved it when Optimus massaged her back. Groaning, she laid down and rolled over onto her mid-plate, resting her head on her arms and closing her eyes as she did. A tremor went through and a relieved moan lifted from her as the Prime began to massage up around her shoulderplating. " Primus!" she hissed as Optimus began to work on that particularly sensitive knot close to her neck. " Big guy, if you'd been human, you coulda made a profession as a physical therapist. No li-ah!-lie. Ooh-hoo..." Hunter released the sigh as that pesky knot finally came untangled beneath the mech's large but surprisingly deft fingers. "Mmm, keeping going," she mumbled as Optimus went on to find another tense area in her shoulders. " You're getting closer. Ooh! Oh, yeah, right there! Right the-ah! Yeah..." The fifteen-year-old practically melted into the berth. " This is the most relaxed I've been all week."

Optimus simply chuckled as he continued to rub and work at her taut muscle-cables. For several minutes he continued to search out and undo the knots in her back in silence, going where Hunter told him at times, applying more or less pressure when she requested it. Finally his fingers could find no more knots. " All right," he announced, patting her shoulders , " I think that about does it."

Groaning, Hunter rolled onto her backplate and sat up again. Without thinking, she scooted across the berth and clambered up into her Prime's lap. With a sigh she curled up in his strong, warm, loving arms and rested against his chest, leaning her head against his shoulder. This was her most favorite place in the whole world.

Instinctively, Optimus held her as close as possible and began stroking her headset and backplate. He loved the feeling of his spark-daughter being cradled in his arms; the feeling of her spark—which had been ignited by him—close to his; almost beating in sync with his. He cherished knowing just how much she trusted, and believed, and depended upon him to be there for her, and how he trusted, and believed, and depended upon her to keep him going—to keep fueling his drive and passion. He would never grow tired of these moments.

Hunter gently nuzzled into the crook of the mech's neck. Once again she released a heavy sigh. Her spark was still troubled and, even within the arms of her spark-father, she could find no comfort. " Optimus I still feel sick to my stomach," she confessed. She hated to burden him. He had his own concerns about the matter at hand to worry about without dealing with hers, but she just had to tell someone.

Optimus put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her away from his chest a bit to meet her faceplate-to-faceplate. " Hunter," he crooned, drawing her gaze to his, " we will get them back, sweet-spark. We'll save them."

Hunter closed her eyes and shook her head. " No," she murmured. " _**We **_can't save them. Only _**I **_can."

The red and blue Autobot sighed just as heavily as his charge had. He knew she was right. " I must be honest," he murmured, pulling her back against him. " I do not like the idea of you facing down the entire Decepticon army all alone."

" Join the club. But it can't be helped."

" I know. It's just..." Optimus optics slowly moved to take her back into his gaze, "... I can't afford to lose you again, my shooting star." His voice was hardly above a whisper and brimming with both fear and unbelievable pain.

Hunter became dead silent, a gloom looming over her spark that was a mixture of both her spark-father's and hers. Her optics shifted downward to the massive arms that surrounded her and she moved a hand to hold onto one of the large hands. She squeezed it, trying to reassure herself as much as him.

A few tears pricked at Optimus' eyes and he tried to blink them back. " After watching you die in my arms once..." his voice faltered and he had to swallow hard before continuing, "... I don't know if I would be able to stand it again... even if you were to resurrect."

Hunter closed her eyes, her mind drifting back to that conversation she'd had with Jack a few days ago. " _He cried when you died, Hunter,_" Jack had said. " _He held you in his arms and cried._" Whether she'd admit to it or not, the girl had been skeptical of this information, knowing Optimus as she did. Now, however, she believed it to be true. " O-Optimus..." she choked out after a moment, "... is it true... that you cried when I died?" She had to know for sure.

For an eternity, Optimus was silent and motionless. Finally he slowly nodded his head. " Yes," he whispered.

Hunter bit her lipplate and snuggled closer to him, nuzzling into his chest. She tried to send a comforting, reassuring feeling through their bond.

The two sat like this for a long time in silence. Finally Optimus cleared his throat and patted the femmling's shoulders. " It's getting late," he stated. " You need your rest."

As if to prove his point, Hunter yawned. She really was extremely tired, considering all that had happened that day, though she wasn't sure if she would be able to sleep. Slipping out of the Prime's lap, the fifteen-year-old stretched out on the birth, rolling onto her right side—the side she liked to sleep on best. She watched as Optimus strode across to a cabinet on the other side of the med-bay, opened it, pulled out a thermal tarp, and came back with it. " Still intent on tucking me in?" she teased him as he spread over her, making sure it covered her in the exact way she liked.

" Always," Optimus chuckled. Once he'd tucked her in, the Autobot commander sat down on the edge of the berth yet again and began to stroke her antennas. He gazed at her lovingly. " How was I ever lucky enough to be blessed with you?" he crooned after a minute.

Hunter shrugged and giggled. " I dunno," she replied. She rolled onto her backplate. " I ask myself the same thing about you."

The Prime simply smiled. All of a sudden, he felt something building inside his chest: something warm and sincere. It moved from his chest, up his throat, to his mouth, and before he could stop it, out his lips. " I love you, Hunter," he finally professed. " I love you... more that I can ever tell you."

Hunter's spark skipped a beat, and she stared at her commander in wonder. Had she heard that right? Her audio-receptors weren't playing tricks on her, right? Had Optimus Prime really just told her that he loved her more than anything? The teenager felt warm and fuzzy all over; it was her dream come true! How she'd longed for so long to hear those words come from somebody! To have them coming from Optimus—her spark-father—made them all the sweeter and more meaningful. A huge grin parted the femmling's lips as a warm feeling begin to develop in her own spark. Before she could think of what she was saying, she began, " I lo..." but then that skeptical, fearful, distrusting part of herself caught her and she couldn't say anymore. Saddened and embarrassed, Hunter's gaze fell away from Optimus'. She just couldn't tell him. Despite how much she desperately wanted to, she just couldn't tell him the same. She was still too scared. " I-I'm sorry," she choked.

Optimus simply gave her and knowing, sympathetic smile. " It's all right, little one," he assured her. " You don't need to tell me; I know."

Hunter could only bite her lipplate and nod. Of course, Optimus would know that she loved him—they shared a spark-link after all. Still, the girl knew that her spark-father wanted to hear the confession as well, just so he could be absolutely sure.

Optimus then leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the scarlet and black-and-silver striped femmling's cheekplate. " Goodnight, my shooting star," he whispered. He stood and began to exit the room.

" 'Night, big guy," Hunter replied. She rolled back over onto her right side and watched him as he left.

Optimus reached over to flip one of the two light switches off. The room was left half in shadow (the back half where Hunter was) and half in light (the front half so that Ratchet could check on her through the night). He continued on toward the door, and then paused in the doorway. He turned back around and met her optics. " We will save them, Hunter," he repeated. " We'll save them together." And with that he turned back around and left.

Hunter's spark sunk. More than anything she wanted to believe that what Optimus said was true, but she couldn't believe it. She knew it wasn't true. If she showed up to face Starscream with backup Jack, Miko, and Raf were dead meat. They couldn't save the kids together. The femmling knew that Optimus knew that fact as well because the Prime always made a promises he knew he could keep, but never made promises he knew he couldn't keep. And this time... " You didn't promise it," Hunter whispered after him.

Later that night Hunter was in human form, lying flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling of the base. It had been a few hours since Optimus had tucked her in in the infirmary. Ratchet's last check on her had been a little over and hour ago, and it was after that that Hunter had decided to move out to the hide-a-bed on the catwalk, claiming to herself that the lights were bugging her and that's why she couldn't sleep. She knew that was a lie. The lights weren't what was keeping her awake, it was the danger her friends were in and the decision Starscream had placed before her. Shifting around, Hunter reached into the pillow case and dug out her phone to check the time: 3:30am. Time was running out—her deadline was fast approaching. Hunter punched the mattress with a growl, cursing to herself. She couldn't wait any longer. The time to move was _**now**_.

Standing up, Hunter stepped over towards the chair where her clothes were and began to strip out of her tanktop and flannel bottom pajamas and change back into her black tee, skinny jeans, and knee-high Converse. Her necklace with the Hybrid medallion, as always, was already around her neck. After throwing it away that one time it had felt like part of who she was was missing. She'd felt like she'd lost herself. The teenager had vowed never to take the necklace off again. After quickly running a brush through her long, fiery red hair, Hunter went to the railing of the catwalk, leaped over, and landed softly in a crouch down on the floor. She sprinted towards the hallway, pressed herself flat to the wall, and quickly surveyed the hall to make sure that none of the 'Bots were up. Then she slipped into the dark and crept quietly down the hallway towards Optimus room. As quietly as she could she pushed the door open and peeked inside.

The Prime was up on his berth, turned away from the door, deep in stasis.

The fifteen-year-old tip-toed into the room and hurried across the floor to his berth. Instead of transforming—which would have made too much noise for her liking—Hunter simply leaped up onto the berth and stalked across it up towards the mech's head. For a long time she stood there, looking at him, smiling. Optimus looked so peaceful and at ease when he slept. A lump formed in the girl's throat and a few tears pricked at her vision but were easily blinked away. With a trembling hand, she reached out and gently stroked her spark-father's cheekplate. She couldn't help but stifle a giggle as the Prime turned his head into her touch ever so slightly. Then the teen leaned in and kissed his cheek. " I'm sorry," she whispered into his audio-receptor, " but I have to. They can't wait any longer." She was planning on turning to leave but something stopped her. Hunter released a quivering breath as she realized why. She had to tell him... at least once. In fact, she _**needed**_ to tell him. She leaned back in to his audio-receptor until her lips were almost touching it, then she swallowed hard and choked out, " I... I love you..." the last word slipped out before she could stop it, "... Daddy." With that, the young Hybrid turned away, jumped down from the berth, and exited the room, taking one last look over her shoulder at the one person she loved more than anything else in the universe before finally turning away and leaving.

Little did Hunter know that right as she left the room, Optimus opened his optics and sat up, looking after her. He'd heard every word. The Prime felt so overjoyed and proud that he thought his chestplate might burst, but at the same time he felt his spark breaking. His brave little girl was going to face her worst enemies, and there was nothing he could do to help except pray to Primus to protect her. " I love you too..." he whispered the confession into the dark, "... my daughter."

* * *

Carefully punching in the coordinates supplied to her by Bombardier, Hunter booted up the ground-bridge. She was still in human form, with her father's golden energy bow and arrows sheathed across her back. Turning on the catwalk, she watched as the green vortex boomed up in the long cavern and then she jumped down to the cement floor once again. She stood there for a moment, staring far down into the bridge, thinking about what could be on the other side and dreading it.

" Off to play the hero are we?" a familiar voice broke into her thoughts.

Hunter turned to see Greasy—also in human form—standing there with his arms folded over his chest and watching her with a gleam in his eye. The girl quickly looked back off into the ground-bridge then back to him. " I have to," she stated softly. " I can't wait any longer and neither can my friends. Time is running out. There's no other way; I have to go alone."

Greasy gave her an empathetic smile. " I know you do," he answered gently.

Hunter returned a half-smile. " Thank you for understanding."

The old Hybrid nodded. " I only wish it were different."

Hunter snorted. " Yeah, you're tellin' me."

Greasy was quiet for a minute as he studied the young Hybrid. When he finally spoke again, it was the strangest of all questions. " Hunter," he began, walking closer to her, " do you understand the meaning of the phrase 'Primus' chosen one'?"

The fifteen-year-old cocked an eyebrow and gave him a look. " Yeah," she answered. " The Fuser—the savior of Cybertron: that's what it means."

Once again Greasy nodded. " Partly," he agreed, " but not completely true."

" What do you mean?"

There was a sigh. " By being Primus' chosen one, the Fuser isn't just the savior of Cybertron, and she isn't just the flame of hope either. By being Primus' chosen one, the Fuser is, in fact, a housing for Primus."

" I don't understand."

" Well, you see, during the Exodus, when your Prime and the other Purebreds left Cybertron because it was no longer livable, Primus—or rather the essence of him—left as well."

Hunter blinked at the old man. " Wait, back up! Are you telling me that Cybertron has no heart?"

Greasy nodded. " Primus himself is no longer in possession of his spark, so by that extension, the planet has no heart."

" So then where is Primus' spark?"

The old Hybrid grinned. " Right here on this planet," he answered, pointing to her, " waiting for you."

" What?"

" Once you have truly accepted your destiny as the Fuser, Primus' spark will merge and live within your spark until the time has come for his return to the core of Cybertron."

" And when will that be?"

" No one knows for certain. Whenever it is safe for him to return, I suppose. If he were to return now, he would be poisoned by the darkness that thrives there now, and Cybertron would never be able to be revived."

Hunter felt slightly numb. " So not only am I a powerful being on my own, I'm the home to an all-powerful god-like being too."

" And when yours and Primus' energies merge," Greasy further explained, " you are at your most powerful."

For a long time, the young Hybrid was silent, letting it all sink in. " I'm like the friggin' Avatar," she murmured to herself.

" What?"

" Oh, it's the cartoon with this person who... ya know what, forget it. You won't understand unless you watch it." Hunter sighed heavily. " Just when I think my life can't possibly get anymore confusing, I get tossed into another maze."

Greasy chuckled.

Rubbing her head, Hunter took a deep breath. " Okay," she said, " well I've wasted enough time. I better get going." She turned, transformed, and got ready to sprint off down the bridge, when suddenly her arm was grabbed. The femmling turned back to see Greasy looking up at her. In his hand was the golden hilt of the flame-saber.

" Take this," the old Hybrid ordered, slapping it into her hand.

Hunter held and stared at it. " But... i-it didn't work," she stammered, looking back at the mech. " I couldn't get it to awaken."

" Maybe you will on this mission," Greasy suggested.

Hunter shook her head and tried to offer it back to him. " Greasy, I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm not ready to admit to anything, and I..."

" Just take it," the old Hybrid said, pushing it back towards her. " Take for sake of my sanity and the sanity of your spark-father."

Hunter pressed her lips together in a grim line, but nodded all the same. " All right," she agreed, and sheathed the hilt over her back on the opposite side of where she reached back to grab her bow and arrows. " Thank you, Greasy." She took a step towards the bridge but was stopped again my Greasy's voice.

" Oh, and, Huntress," the mech called after her, " let me give you some advice."

" Shoot," Hunter replied turning back to face him, arms crossed and foot tapping in impatience.

Greasy met her optics and looked deep into them. " A Hybrid," he began, voice deep with seriousness, " cannot survive this mission alone." A smirk suddenly pulled up a corner of his mouth. " But maybe the Fuser can."

Hunter gave him a wry smile back. " Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," she replied somewhat jokingly. Then she spun around and sprinted off into the ground-bridge before she could be stopped again. Like that she was gone and the bridge boomed closed.

" Primus be with you, my dear girl," Greasy whispered.


	30. In the Hands of the Enemy

** Okay, so now we are all caught up. In other words, this is the last full chapter I have written, so I won't be making daily posts for this, because I'll be working on writing the next several chapters. I'll try to update every week or every other week, but we'll just have to see what life has in store. Anyway, enjoy this.**

** SunnySides—Yes, I have and brownie points to you for identifying the origin of that line. I was wondering if anyone would. :)**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" If you wanna get out alive... whoa-oh, run for your life. If you wanna get out alive... whoa-oh, run for your life..." Three Days Grace; _Get Out Alive_

28

Ω In the Hands of the Enemy Ω

Optimus sat on the edge of his berth and stared at the far wall of his room. He could feel nothing, he could hear nothing, and he could see nothing. All he could think about was Hunter. She was gone. She'd really left to face Starscream all on her own... to face _**Bombardier **_all on her own. The Prime knew that that was the way it had to be—he'd always known that. Still, he wished there had been a way to do it differently. He wished there was a way Hunter could have gone in with back up, instead of gone to face the Decepticon forces alone.

Sighing, the red and blue Autobot commander grumbled in Cybertronian and rubbed his optics, trying to relieve the slight processor-ache that was plaguing him. How had things gotten screwed up so badly? What had gone wrong to cause all of this pain and misfortune? What could have been done differently—what could _**he**_ have done differently—to change the outcome so that this would never have had to happen? Optimus didn't get a chance to answer, because it was then he heard Ratchet running down the hall towards his quarters.

" Optimus!" the white and amber medic bellowed, panic in his voice. " Optimus!" He burst through the doors into Optimus' room. " Optimus..." he panted, his optics wide with fear, "... Hunter. She's..."

" I know, Ratchet," Optimus cut him off, voice quiet and low.

For a long moment Ratchet gaped at him. Finally he found his voice and began to ask, " How..."

" She came to me last night," his commander and old friend interrupted him yet again. " To say good-bye."

Ratchet just stared at him and shook his head. " A-and you didn't stop her?" He could hardly believe it.

Optimus just shook his head.

" But why?"

" I couldn't. I couldn't have stopped her even if I had wanted to. And I did want to, Ratchet. I do not want her facing the Decepticons all on her own anymore than you do."

" Then why..."

" Because there was no other way. Hunter knew that. I knew that. You knew that. Hunter had to go alone, and there was nothing anyone could do to change that fact. Only she can save the children."

Yet again the medic was silent for a long time. His optics fell from his old friend—who had not yet risen or turned to face him—to the floor. Dread filled his spark chamber. Hunter was out there—alone—about to face her worst enemy—the one that had extinguished her spark once already. " Optimus..." he dared to speak after a moment, "... the last time she went to battle alone..." His voice faltered. He couldn't say anymore; the very thought was too terrible to voice.

Once again Optimus nodded, closing his eyes and lowering his head as he did. " I know, old friend," he forced out after a moment. He opened his optics again and gazed down at Hunter's school picture, which was held tightly in his grasp. " I know..."

* * *

Half-way around the world, Hunter sat cross-legged on the peak of the mountain. The setting sun shone off her scarlet black-and-silver striped armor, making it glow with the last rays of the day. Optics closed, the femmling took a deep vent and let it go slowly. Resting her hands on her knees, she tried to relax. " All right, Hunter," she murmured to herself. " This is it. No biggie—just another training session." Suddenly, the Hybrid felt herself cast in shadow, and, opening her optics, she saw the massive hull of the Nemesis looming up in front of her.

Starscream had finally arrived at the coordinates.

Quickly rising to her feet, Hunter drew herself up to full height and stood, unmoving, with her hands clenched into tight fists at her side. Her face was hard and cold, masking any traces of fear and uncertainty that she felt, for she knew that she was most likely plastered on all of the viz-screens inside the ship, and she didn't want any of her enemies to know just how terrified she was. The Hybrid snarled, " I'm here, 'Scream. Come and get me." No sooner had the words left her mouth when suddenly her nerves tingled. Raising her sight even higher, the fifteen-year-old saw a small fleet of Decepticons flying in her direction. In a flash, the femmling had her bow out, loaded, and ready to fire. Taking careful aim, she released the arrow. It made contact with it's target and both exploded into a fiery inferno in mid-air. "_ How is it I can't aim that well with my canon?_" the teenager thought to herself as she pulled out another arrow and fitted it to the energy beam of her bow. Taking aim again, she fired and took out another Eradicon. Then another followed and another.

She was aiming yet again when suddenly her nerves tingled again and her foresight activated. The Hybrid leaped out of the way right as a laser hit a large rock formation beside her and blasted it apart. Looking from the smoldering, melting boulder back up to the 'Cons, Hunter growled and pushed herself back to her feet. Then she transformed to vehicular mode. Swerving around the rain of laser fire, the fifteen-year-old kicked in her hyperspeed and burned rubber to make up the incline of the mountain top. She reached the very top and vaulted off in the direction of the Nemesis, then transformed to her Autobot form again in mid-air. The femmling free-fell through more cannon fire before moving into a position where she could tuck and roll to her feet when she hit the upper deck of the warship. " Oof! Ugh!" She crashed into the deck and tuck and rolled and rolled and rolled until she finally came to a stop and laid there, slightly dazed. After a moment she reached up to rub her head. " Okay. Kinda misjudged that landing a bit," she groaned, grimacing slightly. Then she heard stomping behind her and turned to look over her shoulder. She was met with another fleet of both Eradicons and Vehicons, cannons primed and ready. Rolling into a backwards somersault, the Hybrid got to her feet and crouched down into a ready position, claws extracted and force-field shield activated. Her lipplates pulled back in another snarl. " Let's dance then," she declared. With a battle cry, she charged.

* * *

Bumblebee strode into the training room where Bulkhead and Arcee were going through their morning workout routines. For a minute, he stood back and watched as Bulkhead pummeled the living scrap out of a large, reinforced metal cylinder **[A/N that's the best way I can describe it *shrugs*] **that the 'Bots used for a punching bag and as Arcee practiced martial arts on another metal practice dummy they had set up. Then the yellow and black scout finally spoke up with a musical buzz. " You guys hear the news?" he questioned, drawing his teammates' attention.

Both mech and femme turned to him.

" What's up, 'Bee?" Bulkhead asked.

Arcee stood in silence, waiting.

" It's... it's Hunter?"

" What about her?" Arcee replied.

" Well... she's gone. She went to take on Starscream and get Jack, Miko, and Raf back."

" Say what?" Bulk yelped.

" When?" Arcee asked at the same time.

" Sometime last knight," 'Bee answered. " She said good-bye to Prime, grabbed her bow and arrows, and took off." The young mech looked down at the floor and folded his hands behind his back, twiddling his thumb digits as he did. All of a sudden he was overcome with guilt. " Ratchet says that she might not make it back alive again."

Arcee and Bulkhead became quiet and met each others optics. Just like their teammate, they too began to feel the guilt that had been piling up for release ever since Hunter's transformation. Hunter was going to save the kids... and she was willing to sacrifice herself to save them—something none of them had ever truly thought about doing. Of course, they never imagined their human companions getting kidnapped by the 'Cons either, but still. It was then that they really began to feel sorry for their behavior towards the young Hybrid. How could they have been so cruel and sparkless towards her when she had done absolutely nothing to them to earn it? No two ways about it, this called for a major apology and plea for forgiveness... assuming Hunter would be willing to forgive them. Much to their horror, the next question came to the 'Bots minds. Would they even get the chance to ask for Hunter's forgiveness?

* * *

Starscream stood on the bridge of the Nemesis, waiting. He was looking at a live-feed of the top deck of the ship that showed only a field of massacred Eradicons and Vehicons. The Seeker shook his head and chuckled. " My," he murmured to himself, " this femme is certainly a beast when she wants to be." The mech couldn't help but wonder just what _**other**_ things she could be a beast at as well... Suddenly there was a loud explosion. 'Scream whipped around, nearly falling against the controls as he did, and stared in fear at the door at the far end of the way.

Beyond the door, there came the sounds of yelling and screaming, canon fire and clashing metal, and then another explosion. And then suddenly a set of claws were stabbed through the door at the upper right corner and were sliced down to the lower left corner. The metal screeched horribly. The same thing happened from the upper left corner to the lower right, until there was a large 'X' marked into the door. Then, without warning, it was kicked in, dust and metal shards flying everywhere.

Starscream covered his eyes and face. When he looked up again, he was met with the sight of a fuming (or rather 'flaming' as in 'hot' in his optics) scarlet and black-and-silver striped femmling posed in the destroyed doorway, looking like a beautiful goddess of war. The mech stared at her, gob-stopped. His saucer-sized, blood-red optics ran over her frame again and again—Primus, she was even more gorgeous in person: tall and lithe and just... overall glorious!

Not noticing the Seeker's amazement over her, Hunter continued to glare at him. " Starscream," she roared, her voice so thunderous it seemed to quake the bridge, " you and I need to talk."

" _Could we possibly do something more pleasing first?_" Starscream thought to himself, still in a thick daze. Then he snapped out of his stupor. Shaking his head, the mech smoothly strode forward, his hands folded behind his back, smiling at the femmling. " So," he chuckled motioning to her, " _**you**_ are the one the ancients spoke of in the prophecy. Primus' chosen one—Huntress Starstreaker James—the Flame of Hope—the Fuser."

Hunter snarled, and crossed her arms over her chassis. " And you're Starscream," she said. " Megatron's second in command and now self-appointed Lord of the Decepticons." The teen ran a critical eye over the mech, sizing him up. " Hmm," she hummed after a moment, " somehow I imagined you'd be taller." A slight haughty smirk curved her lipplates.

At that, Starscream turned red and his frame slightly shook in anger. He stabbed a long, sharp digit at her. " I'm taller than you," he proclaimed heatedly.

" Barely," Hunter remarked, still smirking. " And only because of the heels," she motioned to his Stiletto-high heel-struts with her foot. " What, did they have burlesque shows on Cybertron or something?"

'Scream turned even redder with rage and embarrassment. This infuriating little minx! " Why you..."

" Enough chatter," Hunter suddenly cut him off, becoming all serious-business again. Extracting one of her canons, the Hybrid took a step forward and leveled it beneath the mech's chin, all the while glaring deep into his optics. " Where are the kids?" she rumbled, voice hardly above a savage whisper. Her faceplate was just micrometers from his.

Gulping, Starscream's wide, fearful, and surprised optics moved from the canon under his chin up to Hunter's and locked with them. He chuckled nervously and gave her an innocent smile. " Wh-what kids?" he questioned with a shrug, like he didn't know anything.

Growling low in her chestplate, Hunter moved her canon closer, pushing his head up into the air as she did. " Enough playing dumb," she commanded, voice roaring despite how low and soft it was. " Tell me what I wanna know, and I'll keep you in one piece. Don't do as I ask and... well, I may not be the best shot with my guns, but at this range, I don't miss." She tapped her gun against his throat. " Talk."

Starscream continued to look at her with that nervous smile, but then suddenly his optics flickered away from hers off over her head.

" I said ta-aaaaaahhhhhh!" A sharp, painful, powerful jolt of electricity jolted through Hunter's body. When the pain stopped, the teen slumped to the floor, panting heavily, smoke rising off her body. " Uh..." And then the pain was back. " Uuuuuuuggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh! Uh!" She slowly turned to see a Vehicon and an Eradicon in possession of electrical prods. Her processor formed one word. " Ambush..." she panted, voice slightly slurring. The femmling heard an evil chortle and turned back to Starscream with heavy-shuttered optics. " You... you ambushed me..."

Starscream chuckled and nodded. " Yes, I did." Then he sighed and shook his head as he shrugged his shoulders. " And it was _**so**_ easy to get you to let your guard down too." Suddenly the Seeker's hand coiled into a fist,and he punched her, striking her helm hard.

Hunter fell to the floor.

Starscream stood there for a moment, hands folded behind his back, optics continuing to examine the unconscious femmling with admiration and desire. Finally he turned away. " Cuff her," he told the two Decepticons with the prods, " and take her to my quarters. But first, do as she asked and stop by the detention level and take her to the cell to "see" her human friends. It's about time those little vermin realize that there's no hope for them, and the prone body of their friend should deliver the message quite nicely."

" Yes, Lord Starscream," the Decepticons replied as one. Then they went to work at cuffing her. Once she was cuffed, they hefted her up—one on each side of her, taking an arm—and began to drag her limp, knocked out body over the rubble and out of the bridge.

Starscream turned back around to watch after them, an evil sneer still plastered to his faceplate. He chuckled again. " Now, my dearest Hybrid," he whispered, " you're mine. And it won't be long until I've staked my claim to the lives of your friends and teammates—starting with the spark of your precious Prime!"

Little did the Seeker know that Hunter was feigning unconsciousness, and—with her Hybrid hearing—had heard every word (she was a little bit freaked out by the 'take-her-to-my-quarters' part). The faking Hybrid just dared a smirk. Everything was going according to plan. " _You haven't won yet, Decepti-creep,_" she thought. "_ And you won't—not if I have anything to say about it. This isn't over, Starscream. You have absolutely no idea who you're messing with._"


	31. More Revelations

** Okay, so I'm going to warn you that this is definitely not the best chapter I've written. It skips back and forth a lot and it's not very good on details and everything. Part of that is because I was writing this when I had some writer's block and I was too lazy to go back and change it. The other part of it is that the inner artist in me is saying that that's good—that is sets the tone for the chapter because it's fast-paced, anxious, and confusing which is what the characters are feeling. Really that's probably just me being more lazy. XDDD Oh, and I didn't really edit it. I know I should've but I was just so anxious to get something posted up since, ya know, I HAVEN'T POSTED IN A MONTH! SO sorry for that. :) And the song at the beginning, I know it doesn't really go with the chapter, but I just love the song! LOL I know this isn't much longer than the others have probably been, but I think it's longer than the last one.**

** SunnySides—Yes, it is quite apparent that I love to mash things up. I probably shouldn't but I do. XD**

** Tinyterror—Yes. Yes that was a Narnia reference. :D**

** Xireana Zetsubou—This is awesome? No, **_you're _**awesome and you know that! (Points to anyone who can tell me what that's a quote from.)**

** catspajamas12—Here's the next chapter. :)**

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" In twenty-four hours they'll be... layin' flowers on my life. It's over tonight! I'm not messing, no I... need your blessing and your promise to live free. Please do it for me..." Jem; _24_

29

Ω More Revelations Ω

Optimus stared at the shocked faces before him. The Prime's holoform was seated on a chair in the Lennox's living room. He'd jut broken the news to them. He couldn't blame them for being dumbfounded; he was still trying to get it to sink in himself.

" So..." Will choked out after a moment, eyes glazed and staring off into the distance, "... Hunter really left to take on Starscream?"

Optimus just barely nodded his head.

" Alone?" Sarah almost whispered.

Another nod.

Annabelle—the only person in the room who didn't look traumatized—looked back and forth between the adults. Why did they all look so worried? Hunter was tough! And she was the bravest person the six-year-old knew. " Why is that bad?" the child voiced her confusion. " Hunter's gonna save Jack and Miko and Raf and she's gonna kick that meanie-head Starscream's heinie!"

The adults couldn't help but chuckle at this.

" I admire your enthusiastic faith in Hunter, Annabelle," Optimus replied, smiling at the little girl, " and I hope you're right." Then the mech's smile faded. " But... I'm afraid it's more complicated than that."

Annabelle cocked her head and looked at him questioningly. " Why?" she asked.

Optimus' eyes flickered to those of her parents, passing the torch on to them.

" Because, Annabelle, honey," Sarah began, turning her daughter to face her, " it isn't just Starscream she'll be fighting. She'll be going up against all the other Decepticons too."

" Yeah?" her daughter responded, still perplexed.

Sarah sighed and looked to her husband.

" Well, sweetie..." Will picked up the explanation, "... she'll be fighting Bombardier."

Annabelle thought this new information over. She knew of Bombardier; Hunter had mentioned him on occasion and had explained who he was when the six-year-old had asked of him. For the sake of Annabelle's innocence, the redhead had kept it to the basic minimum: Bombardier was a mean guy who was very dangerous. Annabelle had never met or seen him (thankfully), but if Hunter hated him, so did she. But the girl was still confused. Why was it a bad thing that Hunter was going to fight Bombardier? " I still don't get it," she confessed.

Will and Sarah stared at their daughter for a moment more before exchanging beaten looks. Time for the truth. They both turned to look at Optimus—it was his information to tell.

The Prime met both their gazes. He knew what they were thinking, and his tank plummeted because of it. The mech didn't wish to relive the memory—living it once was more than enough. He wanted to reveal the secret to Annabelle even less. Still, it had to be done. It was only fair. Closing his electro-blue eyes, the holoform sighed and slowly nodded his head. When he opened his eyes again, he looked to Annabelle. " Annabelle?" he said softly, drawing the child's attention.

The girl looked over.

The Prime patted his knee. " Come here, child."

Annabelle cocked her head and slid down from between her parents, face questioning. It wasn't the first time Optimus had invited her to sit on his lap, but there was something different about the way he asked this time. The request wasn't really friendly and lighthearted; it was more reluctant and serious. That made the six-year-old nervous. Slowly, Annabelle made her way across the floor to the Prime's holoform. When she reached him, she clambered up into his lap.

Adjusting her on his knee so they would both be more comfortable, Optimus sighed. " Annabelle," he said, making sure he had her full attention, " the reason we're all so worried about Hunter facing Bombardier on her own is because..." the mech broke off, having to swallow hard in order to get the rest out, "... is because he... he killed her, young one."

Annabelle's breath caught in her throat. Her heart stopped and her tummy twisted into one big, icky-feeling knot. " Wh-what?" she choked out.

Optimus nodded. " She died, Annabelle," he repeated softly. " Bombardier killed Hunter, and she came back to life."

" That's how we found out she was the Fuser, baby," Will put in from across the room.

Annabelle knew about the Fuser—she'd heard her parents talking with Optimus and Hunter about it once before they'd discovered Hunter was a Hybrid. She still wasn't completely sure what it was, but right now she wasn't in much of a mood to be asking questions about it. " Hu-Hunter?" she stammered, tears starting to trickle down her cheeks. " Hu-Hunter _**died**_?"

Optimus could only nodded silently.

" Annabelle, sweetie," Sarah said sorrowfully, " we didn't tell you because we didn't want to upset you. And we knew that Hunter wanted to forget it too."

" We're sorry, angel," Will crooned.

The tears had now stopped flowing and the blond-haired six-year-old looked up at the Prime again. " Optimus she said slowly, sternly, " Hunter is going to come back."  
Optimus net the girl's eyes, but remained silent.

" Hunter is going to come back alive," Annabelle repeated. " She will. She _**has**_ to. You have to make sure of it."

At that, a look of determination crossed the Prime's holoform face as well. Annabelle was right. Hunter going to come home... _**alive**_; he was going to make sure it happened. No matter what. " I will, Annabelle," he proclaimed, voice strong and sincere. " I promise."

* * *

The Nemesis;

Hunter hung limp in the arms of her captors while she silently waited and listened.

" So, uh, why exactly does Lord Starscream want her in his room anyway?" the Vehicon questioned the Eradicon.

" Pit if I know," the Eradicon answered. " Why does any mech ever want a femme in his room?"

" I dunno."

" Yeah, well, let me tell ya something, genius. It ain't to play checkers."

Hunter felt her tank roll in disgust. " Nasty!" she thought, already feeling violated. " How is it I always get the perverts?" Her mind was quickly taken off the offensive thought, though, when they suddenly stopped. The femmling cracked her optics open. Right before them were the doors to an elevator. " An elevator?" she silently marveled. " Just how big_** is**_ this ship?"

The Vehicon reached out and pressed the button.

That was when Hunter reacted. Snapping to life, the fifteen-year-old jumped up and flipped out of her captors' grips. She landed behind them, a devilish grin a mile wide parting her lipplates.

The 'Cons gapped at her in disbelief.

" What's the matter, fellas?" Hunter sneered. " Never seen an unconscious captive so lively before?" Without warning, the Hybrid surged forward, swinging her handcuffed fists at the head of the Eradicon. Her strike knocked him out and slammed him into the wall. Then she turned on the Vehicon. He took a step back from her, and the Autobot smirked while advancing on him. " Come on, 'Con, come at me."

The Vehicon took another step back, bringing his fist up in a defensive position. For a moment he looked unsure. But then he shook off his fear and lunged forward, punching his fist out at her. " Ha!"

Hunter jerked off to the side, bringing her arms down on his elbow joint with such force that she separated the limb. His forearm fell to the floor. Then the girl grabbed his head, yanked it down as she lifted her leg up, and bashed his forehead hard into her knee. There was a sharp _**crack! **_and the mech let out a cry of pain. " Huh!" Hunter quickly extracted a razor set and jabbed them through the back of his cranial cavity. She threw the 'Con off to the side into the wall, then she turned her attention on the Eradicon who had just come to and was looking for revenge.

The 'Con roared and threw a punch.

Hunter dodged easily.

He spun around and aimed a kick for her head.

She bent over backwards to avoid it.

He lunged at her and tried to tackle her.

She leaped over him and landed on the other side.

He whipped around and came for her again, and, without even looking, Hunter kicked her leg back and up, catching him under the chin and slightly upside the head, causing him to stumble. The girl spun around with both set of claws now extracted and swung her claws, slicing off his head at the neck. The hewn head fell to the floor and the lifeless body sank to its knees before crashing flat on the floor.

Hunter stared down at the dead 'Con for a moment, then turned her attention to the cuffs still at her wrists. She jerked her hands apart, snapping them apart with ease, then ripped the bracelets off her wrists and tossed them to the floor. " Standard cuffs?" she snorted. " Puh-lease!" With that, she stepped over the dead chassis and strode towards the elevator, which had just dinged it's arrival. The doors opened to reveal several Decepticons inside. Unfazed, the femmling sauntered into the elevator and took her place amongst the 'Cons. " Hey, fellas," she greeted them. The teen reached out for press the button she was sure would take her to the detention level, then she smiled pleasantly up at the mechs. " Going down?"

The doors closed.

* * *

Optimus was still at the Lennox's ranch, sitting out in the horse pasture at his and Hunter's cloud watching spot. The Prime gazed silently up at the brilliant blue sky, but he hardly noticed the few clouds that occupied it. His processor was on overdrive with his wonderings. Not so surprisingly, they all centered around a certain fifteen-year-old Hybrid that was very special in his life. The red and blue Autobot was so busy thinking that he didn't even notice he wasn't alone until he felt a small, warm hand gently placed upon his arm. He looked down into the baby-blue-eyes of Annabelle. A slight smile curved his lipplates. " Hello, young one," he greeted the girl.

Annabelle giggled and grinned back at him. " You've already said 'hello' to me today, Optimus," she pointed out.

The mech couldn't help but chuckle. " You are right, Annabelle," he nodded. " You are most certainly right." Then Optimus smile slipped ever so slightly and he didn't look quite so cheerful. " My processor is just... elsewhere I suppose," he sighed.

Annabelle's grin faded as well as she knew what he was talking about. " You're really worried about Hunter, aren't you?" she asked softly.

Still looking at her, Optimus could only nod, then he offered her a hand. " Would you care to keep my company and join me in my cloud-watching?"

Smiling once more, Annabelle nodded and stepped up into the massive hand. She was lifted up and then seated in the large, warm, metal lap of the Autobot. Once she was comfortable, she settled back to watch the sky. Silence feel over them.

After several long minutes, Optimus looked down at the child in his lap in curiosity. " Annabelle," he broke the quiet, a quizzical look on his face, " may I ask you something?"

The little girl repositioned herself so that she was looking up at him and nodded.

" Tell me," he began, " how are you so sure that Hunter will come back?"

The child was still for a moment, thinking over the question, then she shrugged. " I dunno," she answered simply. " I just do."

" I'm sorry to say that that isn't much of an answer, child."

" Well... it's like this. Have you told Hunter 'I love you' yet?"

Optimus suddenly felt warm all over as he remembered the night before when he'd tucked Hunter into bed. He couldn't help but smile lovingly. " Yes," he answered softly with a nod. " Yes, I have."

" Did she say 'I love you' back?"

" Well... she started to... but I'm afraid she is still a bit fearful to admit it yet."

" Then that's how I know."

" I'm afraid I still don't follow."

" You told Hunter 'I love you', but she didn't say it back. She'll come back because she has to say 'I love you' to you because she loves you and she wants you to know it."

In all honesty, that still didn't clear the question up much, and it wasn't exactly what one would call a 'straight answer', but somehow, it did help to buoy the Prime's spirits. Optimus smiled at the small human. " Thank you, Annabelle," he replied. " Thank you."

* * *

The elevator dinged at it's stop. A second later, the sparkless shell of a Decepticon went crashing through the still closed doors out into the hall. Inside the elevator, all of the other 'Cons were dead as well; either torn to pieces, decapitated, or spark-chambers torn completely out. And in the midst stood Hunter, claws extracted and coated with a light sheen of energon.

Making a quick jerking motion with her arms, the femmling shed her razors of the fluid, retracted them, and stepped out into the hall of the detention level. She looked around. " This much closer," she said to herself. The teen closed her eyes and took a deep vent before slowly letting it out, then she tried to reach out with her ESP to find her friends. " _Come on, now_," she thought. " _Work for me_." She concentrated hard. For several minutes nothing happened, but then suddenly she felt something: three familiar presences. Optics snapping, Hunter sprinted off down the hall. She came to a T-junction, skidded to a stop, pressed herself flat up against the wall, and carefully peeked out around the corner.

Two 'Cons were guarding one of the doors—that had to be their cell.

Pulling back, Hunter pulled out her bow. The silver-white energy-beam quietly whooshed out and strung the golden shaft; the femmling fitted an arrow to it. Positioning herself, the femmling took aim and released the arrow.

The Decepticon closest to her dropped to the floor, his spark skewered by the arrow. His partner let out a cry of alarm, looked at the dead mech for a moment, then up to see a scarlet, black-and-silver striped femmling charging in his direction. He extracted his cannon and began to priming it.

Hunter acted faster. Leaping up into the air, she came down atop him, planting her fist in his helm, rendering him unconscious. Before standing up, she swiped the key card he held. " Thank you," she remarked. Turning to the control panel on the wall, the femmling inserted the card and the cell doors whooshed open.

Inside, suspended from the ceiling by chains, were Jack, Miko, and Raf—alive.

Hunter had never felt so relieved, yet so sickened at the same time. Swallowing the lump in her throat and blinking back the tears of joy that were pricking at her optics, she fifteen-year-old hurried into the cell. " Guys."

Jack slowly lifted his head and blinked his heavy, sleepy eyes. When his vision finally focused on her, he was overjoyed. " Hunter!" he breathed in relief.

Miko and Raf awoke now as well, looking first to Jack and then to their friend. They looked just as happy to see her. " Hunter!" Miko repeated Jack, a few tears trickling down her cheeks and a grin so big it almost looked like a grimace parting her lips.

" You made it!" Raf exclaimed.

Hunter nodded the affirmative. " You guys okay?" she asked, voice dripping heavily with concern. The femmling walked to Raf first, since he was the youngest, grasped his bonds, and broke them in half before setting him down on the floor. She moved on to Miko.

" We're a little shook up and sore," Jack answered as he watched Hunter set Miko down on the floor along with Raf, " but other than that, we're good." His chains were quickly broken and he too joined the other two humans on the floor. They all began stretching out and rubbing the circulation back into their sore arms and shoulders.

" I'm starving," Miko put in.

" And thirsty," Raf added.

Hunter transformed to her human form so that she could be on level with them. " Well, we can take care of that as soon as we get outta here," she responded with a nod. Then a very slight smile curled her lips. " But first, I think what we could all use is a hug." She held out her arms and soon all four friends were enveloped in a tight group hug. " I'm so sorry, you guys," Hunter choked out. " I never should've told you to run, or I should've at least gone with you."

" Yeah," Miko agreed pulling out of the hug with her fists on her hips and a scowl on her face. " And then you woulda gotten kidnapped too, or worse, and then where would we be?"

" Hunter, none of this was your fault," Raf added, giving her a stern look as well. " As powerful as you are, you can't prevent everything bad from happening."

" All that matters," Jack said, putting his hands on her shoulders and smiling at her, " is that you're here now."

Hunter returned his smile with a small one of her own. " Thanks, guys," she murmured, taking them all into her gaze. Then she began to turn and made a motion with her hand. " Now, come on. Let's get outta here."

" How?" all three humans asked.

" We find their ground-bridge," the redhead answered simply.

" The 'Cons have a ground-bridge too?" Raf inquired in slight amazement.

" They ripped off the 'Bots' idea!" Miko exclaimed indignantly at the same time.

" How do you know that have one?" Jack asked.

" Last evening, when I was thinking about what to do after I got the news that you guys had been captured, Bombardier showed up on the beach of the lake where I was. It didn't really click then, but after a while I realized he had to get to my location from the Nemesis somehow; ground-bridging was the only way."

" So the plan is?" Raf questioned.

" Find the bridge, activate it, get down to the ground, contact base to open ours, and go home."

" Yeah, well, that's all great and everything, but how exactly are we gonna find the bridge?" Miko pointed out.

A contemplative look came over her face. Okay—so there was more than one part of this plan that she hadn't really thought through. Suddenly a groan behind her drew her attention. Looking over her shoulder, the girl saw that the 'Con she'd knocked out was starting to come to. She slightly smirked. " Time to play a little Bad Cop, Bad Cop."

* * *

Starscream still stood upon the bridge of the Nemesis. He snickered and smirked at the thought of Hunter waiting in his room for him. Once again, his processor traveled to that... highly private portion of his mind. Nothing could make this moment go wrong.

The doors to the bridge opened and a Eradicon raced through. " Lord Starscream!" he exclaimed.

'Scream snarled and glared over his shoulderplating. " What is it?" he rumbled.

" The Fuser, my lord," the 'Con reported. " She's escaped."

The Seeker slowly turned around, face stricken with disbelief. " What?" she questioned, voice slow.

" She got lose from her captors—I was walking past the hallway when I saw it happen. She slayed them both, broke out of her cuffs, and then got into the elevator; she was headed for the detention level."

Starscream turned back around, red optics wide with fear. She'd played him. He was such an idiot! That take down had been far too easy, but he'd been too arrogant to realize it. Now there was an angry Hybrid with the power of every Prime ever to exist put together and abilities they didn't know about loose on the Nemesis. And he'd basically invited her. So much for nothing making the moment go wrong.

* * *

" Ugh!" The Decepticon was slammed hard down into a sitting position at a corner of the cell and then smacked upside the helm. His chin was seized in a crushing grip and his head jerked around and up so that he was faceplate-to-faceplate with the Hybrid femmling.

" You know something I wanna know," Hunter stated.

" I do?" the 'Con spat.

The Hybrid nodded. " Yes, you do," she answered calmly. " And you're gonna tell me what I want."

" I am?"

" Yes, you are."

" Why's that?"

" Because if you don't, I'm gonna drop the 'Ms. Nice Girl' act and beat the ever-livin' outta you. In fact, I may go so far as to break your face into a million tiny little pieces. That understood?"

The mech snorted. " Oh, yeah," he huffed, " you're _**really**_ being Ms. Nice Girl right now."

" Compared to what other measures I can take, believe me, this _**is**_ nice."

" Yeah?"

" Yeah."

" Ya know, I'm curious, Hybrid. Just what is it like being Optimus Prime's glitch?"

Hunter's face darkened. Anger all but completely consumed her spark and made her frame tremble. How dare he speak about her spark-father like that?! Reeling a leg back, the femmling planted it as hard as she could at the apex of his legs (using standard Purebred strength, of course).

The mech cried out in pain and groaned, clutching at his groin-plating.

" That's strike one," Hunter growled sinisterly. " Consider it an object lesson as to the beginning of the torture I can bring upon you." She grabbed the top of his bucket-headed helm and slammed it back against the wall so that he was once again looking up at her. " Now, do you wanna try for two and three, or are you gonna cooperate?"

The 'Con was silent for a moment, thinking it over, and then he finally replied, " What do you wanna know?" His voice was raspy and strained with pain.

" Where's your ground-bridge?" Hunter asked.

" I can't tell you that!" the mech exclaimed. " Lord Starscream finds out, I'll lose my head! Ah-ha-uh-ah!" He grabbed at his groin again.

Behind Hunter, Jack and Raf grimaced and instinctively went into fig-leaf position as the Hybrid once again delivered a (harder) kick to the poor mech's tenders. _**Ye-ouch!**_

Face twisted into a snarl, Hunter knelt down in front of the Decepticon, positioning the spike of her knee between his legs. She was just close enough to his sensitive spot that, should she jab up and hard, she could do some major damage. The femmling grabbed his shoulders and slammed him back into the wall again, forcing him out of his doubled over form. " Next time assures you never procreate," she threatened him harshly. " Now, let me ask you again, and I want a straight answer this time." The teen stuck her face right into his, glowered into his optics, and growled ominously, " Where. Is. Your ground-bridge?"

" That was a little harsh, don't you think?" Raf nearly squeaked as the four friends (Hunter now in human form) made their way out of the cell and out into the hall. He looked back over his shoulder up at the Decepticon who was now dangling, upside-down and unconscious, from the ceiling by the energy cuffs and chains that were typically used to hold Cybertronians. " _He's gonna be so sore when he wakes up_," the boy thought, still slightly protecting his groin.

Hunter snorted. " After what he said about Optimus," she remarked, " that lunkhead's lucky I didn't snuff his spark." The doors to the cell closed behind them as the kept on walking down the hall in the direction of the ground-bridge.

" Dude, that was awesome!" Miko whooped, slugging Hunter in the shoulder. " Where'd you learn to interrogate like that?"

" I've had more than one run-in with the police and been interrogated by 'em more than once," Hunter answered with a shrug. " Guess I musta picked it up watching them. Never could get the 'Good Cop' part down though."

" So in other words, don't lie to you," Jack translated.

Hunter nodded. " And don't tick me off if you do."

" Are you sure he was telling the truth about where the ground-bridge was?" Raf asked a bit nervously as they rounded a corner.

Once again Hunter nodded and smirked. " Oh, believe me," she chuckled, " he was telling the truth. Guys don't lie when their manhood is on the line."

" Is that so?" a sneering, dark voice came to their ears.

Immediately recognizing that hated voice, all the hair on the back of Hunter's neck prickled. She whipped around to face the owner of the voice, a deadly, low growl rumbling in her throat and chest. " Starscream."

The self-appointed Decepticon lord merely smirked and chortled evilly. " And just where are you four headed off to?" he asked, striding out again towards them.

" None of your business," Hunter snarled, moving into a ready position and getting in between her friends and the mech.

" Oh, on the contrary," Starscream patronized, still walking forward. " You see, you're aboard my ship, that makes your destination every bit of my business, my dear Huntress."

" Don't you _**dare**_ call be that," the scarlet and black-and-silver striped femmling rasped. She hated how Starscream called her 'my dear'; it just made her feel so... violated.

The Seeker merely chuckled. " As you wish."

Hunter growled. She began to move in a small circle around her friends, following Starscream as he tread around them. Her eyes watched his every move. Suddenly, the mech took a step closer, making his circular path around them smaller. The femmling immediately bristled. " Take one step closer and I'll make sure it's the last one you take," she warned him.

Starscream simply smirked bigger. Then he made one of the biggest mistakes of his life-cycle: he took a step closer.

" Rrraaahhh!" Hunter lunged forward, transforming to her Cybertronian form as she did, and tackled him. She slammed him to the wall and they went crashing through it. Screaming, Starscream kicked his feet up into her mid-plate and propelled her off him and Hunter twisted around in mid-air to land so that she was facing him. She landed in a kneeling position—right hand braced against the floor—and skidded back a few feet, then she was up and charging again. The girl drew her fist back. " Hah!" She planted said fist in the Seeker's faceplate and sent him flying back through the whole in the wall, across the hall, and through the opposite wall, then she went plunging after him. " Hruh!" She planted an upper-cut. " Yah!" She drove a fist into his gut. " Huhn!" She caught him with a powerful right-cross. " Hyah!" She kicked her leg up and caught him underneath the chin.

" Uh!" Starscream stumbled back and then crashed to the floor, dazed and dizzy. He tried to shake his thoughts back together. Okay... maybe this femme was more of a beast than he could handle. Without warning, he was seized by the chest armor and lifted up off the floor.

" Had enough?" Hunter panted, jerking him up to be face-to-face with her. She glared down into the Seeker's blood-red optics.

" Wh-what are you going to do to me?" Starscream whimpered, terror coming over his features.

In response, Hunter extracted one of her razor sets and raised high above her. Her claws gleamed in the light. " What I should do," she snarled menacingly, " is shred you into metal shavings."

" What?!" Starscream shrieked, eyes widening in horror as they darted back between the sharp razors and the femmling's optics. " Wait! No!"

Hunter suddenly retracted her razors and lowered her arm. Grasping his chestplate with both hands, she jerked him up and held him above her so that he feet actually dangled off the floor. " But I'm not going to," she assured him.

" Then... what _**are**_ you going to do?"

* * *

" So anyway, this guy is so energized he can't tell his head from his exhaust port," the Eradicon said to the the other Eradicon as they walked down the hall, " and we decide to have a little fun with him."

" What'd'ya do?" the second Eradicon asked.

" Well, we dared him to go jump off the top of the ship and..." the mech suddenly dropped off and froze in his tracks.

His friend did much the same.

There, right in front of them in the interrogation room, framed in the open doorway, was their lord, strapped down to the interrogation table. The only problem was that he was strapped down in a very peculiar way. His head was in one of the spots where an arm would traditionally be, and the restraint was around his neck to hold him down. In the spot across from it, both of his arms were restrained at the wrists. Down at foot of the table, his legs were restrained so that his rear was sticking straight up in the air. It was a sight to unbelievable to... well... believe.

The Eradicons continued to stand there and stare in shock.

" Well?!" Starscream roared, faceplate as red as his optics. " Don't just stand there, you dolts! ** GET ME OUT OF THIS!**"

* * *

" Okay, guys, now stay close," Hunter whispered back to her friends. They were currently traveling through the ventilation shafts of the Nemesis to get to the ground-bridge (Hunter's idea so they wouldn't meet anymore 'Cons). The shaft was plenty big enough for even Optimus' holoform to stand upright in, but it was all nearly pitch black. That wasn't a problem for Hunter of course, with her Hybrid sight and all; it was for her friends however.

" Stay close? We can barely_** see**_ you!" Miko snapped.

Sighing heavily Hunter reached out and took Jack's hand. " Okay, we'll form a train. I got Jack's hand. Miko, take Jack's other hand, and, Raf, take Miko's. Everybody ready?"

" Yeah."

" Then let's go."

They all moved on into the darkness.

* * *

Soundwave walked silently down the halls of the Nemesis, minding his own business as always. Suddenly something caught his optic. Stopping in his tracks, the silent mech turned to look at the vent down near the floor at his left. The grate of the shaft was pulled free of the opening and laying on the floor. Stepping closer, Soundwave knelt down and peered into the dark hole.

* * *

For a long time now, Jack, Miko and Raf had all been silent, letting Hunter concentrate on where to go. Then suddenly, Hunter stopped, and they were at a junction. The three humans remained silent for a few minutes more, before Jack finally broke the quiet with an anxious, " Well?"

" Which way?" Raf whispered.

" Shh," Hunter reprimanded. " Shut up, I'm trying to think."

" Well, can you think a little faster?" Miko snipped.

Slightly annoyed, Hunter let go of Jack's hand and spun around to face the group, mostly Miko. Even though they couldn't see her, she put her hands on her hips and gave them all the evil-eye. " Hey, who's saving who here?"

Silence.

" Exactly, so shut it." Turning back around, Hunter looked first one way and then the next, trying to decide which to take. " Wait here," she suddenly uttered. " I'll be right back." With that, she turned to the left and hurried off down the shaft to investigate.

Sighing, Jack, Miko, and Raf let go of each others hands and all sank to sitting positions on the floor. They were all tired and hungry and ready to get off of this flying monolith. The sooner the better.

* * *

After investigating the hole to find that he could see nothing in the shaft, Soundwave pulled back and extended his tentacles forward into the dark ventilation shaft. If anything was in there, he'd find it and drag it out.

* * *

Hunter still hadn't returned yet, and the kids were still seated on the floor, waiting for her. They were all contemplating on taking a short cat-nap right then and there, when suddenly Jack heard something in the darkness. " You guys hear that?" he questioned, sitting straight up and looking off down the way they'd just come.

Snapping out of their dozing states, Miko and Raf sat up as well and looked in the same direction. At first they could hear nothing, but then their ears picked it up. Somewhere off in the darkness there came a quiet, whispering, almost slithering sound that was oddly familiar and coming closer. The kids all started to rise to their feet. They strained their eyes through the dark, trying to see what was coming, and then they saw them: four purple-striped, snake-like tentacles.

" It's Soundwave!" Raf howled.

" Run!" Jack bellowed at the same time.

They all turned and took off down the hall Hunter had taken, but suddenly Jack stumbled. Flipping over onto his back, the boy found—much to his horror—that one of the appendages was wrapped around his ankle. He was being pulled backwards. " Guys!"

Miko and Raf spun around. " Jack!" They rushed to his aid, each other taking an arm and trying to pull him back and away from the dreaded tentacles, but they just weren't strong enough. "

" Where's Hunt when you need her?!" Miko strained. Suddenly one of the other tentacles came up and wound itself around thigh and began to pull at her too. With a shriek, the Japanese girl was wrenched off of Jack and dragged down to the floor of the shaft and pulled away, clawing at the slick metal, screaming, and kicking for all she was worth to try and get away. She was pulled further down the vent.

Then Raf was grabbed around the middle. He too was pulled of his feet and dragged. " No!"

That's when something came storming through the darkness.

" Rrrraaaahhhh!" There was a roar of anger, a _**ching!**_ of metal and then, all at once, the tension on Jack's leg let lose as the tentacle that held it was spliced in half. Then he was being lifted to his feet and shoved back. " Stay back!" the voice that yelled the command was Hunter's. The redhead quickly went to Raf's aid and delivered the same treatment to his constraint as she had to Jack's. Then she dove further down the ventilation shaft and cut Miko's bonds.

The injured appendages writhed and almost seemed to shriek in pain as the trembled cowered away.

Grabbing the other girl's arm, Hunter hauled her to her feet and all but threw her down the shaft towards the boys who caught her. " What the pit are those things?!" she bellowed, claws still extended as she began backing away from the horrid things as they proceeded to come at her, albeit weakly.

" It's Soundwave!" Raf answered, doing much the same thing as Hunter and his other two friends were doing.

Even though they couldn't see her, Hunter nodded. Thanks to Optimus stories, she knew exactly who Soundwave was, even though she'd never met the mech. As for as that went, she never wanted to meet him. " Right," she responded. " Let's go then." She retracted her claws, spun on a dime and began sprinting back of down the shaft, going down the right corridor this time. " Follow me, guys!"

Jack, Miko, and Raf all leaped after her, but once again Jack felt something wind itself tightly around his leg before having his feet jerked out from under him. " Oof!" He hit the floor so hard it knocked the wind out of him. " Hunter!" he rasped, trying to struggle from the restraint.

Hunter whipped around and saw the fourth and uninjured tentacle wrapped around her friend's ankle. Growling, she barreled forward, leaped up into a corkscrewing horizontal spin, and came down, instinctively kicking a foot out as she did. A large fireball of blue flames shot out from her foot at the tentacle.

The tentacle released that same high-pitch squeal-like cry and released Jack's leg. It began to wriggle away.

" Huh!" Hunter punched a fist out and sent another fireball at it, the blue flames so hot that they nearly melted through the armor plating of the appendage almost instantly. The thing kept shrieking and skittering away and the fifteen-year-old kept right after it. " Hah!" She punched another fireball at the tentacle. " Leave—huh!—" she jumped up and kicked more fire out at the it, " my friends—yah!—" more blue flames hurled, " alone! Hrah!" Hunter jumped up again, came down in a kneeling position, threw both fists out in front of her, and sent a roaring wall of flames at the tentacle. She kept applying more heat to the fire; more power—so much power that she actually slid back a few inches on the slick surface of the ventilation shaft. And then she let the flames die. A large section of the shaft looked like it'd been welded (which it pretty much had been) and Soundwave's tentacle had disappeared. Panting heavily, Hunter slowly rose to her feet. She continued to stare wide-eyed at the warped metal of the shaft, blue flames dancing in the memory of her mind's eye. The girl wiped the perspiration off her forehead and then held her hands open and out in front of her. She looked down at them in complete astonishment. How had she...?

Jack, Miko, and Raf all stood behind her in dead silence, staring at her (though it was once again too dark for them to real see much but a faint silhouette of her). They to were in shock—more so than even Hunter.

" Uh..." Miko finally stammered, "... what just happened?"

" Did you just..." Jack's voice faltered off.

Raf joined in by saying, " I didn't know you were a..."  
" Pyrokenetic?" Hunter interrupted Raf. Letting her hands fall to her sides, she slowly turned around and gazed at them through the dark, face still set with amazement. " Neither did I."

* * *

**And a story y'all should seriously check out:**

** What Once Was Mine by Alice Gone Madd:**

** Sam's sisters, Raven and Ash, come back from their trip two weeks after the whole 'Mission City' incident. Join for some crazy things—things that are never gonna be the same. Besides, fate has plans for these girls... normality never existed for them anyway.**

** We're co-writing it together. Well, actually that's somewhat of a lie—she's doing all the writing because I've already got six fanfics of my own going on right now. I'm just helping with some of the ideas. XD**


	32. And the Games Begin

** Gosh, I just keep getting more and more followers for this. You guys are so totally awesome! I love you guys!**

** Verdantia—I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)**

** SunnySides—Yes, I agree with you. Someone really should draw the picture because I'd love to see it for myself! XDD And yes, you were right. That was a quote from Pixar's _Cars_ another of my favorite movies and something I'm also doing a fanfic for. No, I'm not trying to promote my other stories! *cough, cough* **

** DragonScouter—I'm so glad you enjoyed it and I give a big 'thank you' and a hug to which ever one of your followers told you about this story. And I thank you for trusting them. X3 Like I said before, Hunter and Fowler will eventually reconcile and form a sort of... alliance, for lack of a better word.**

** The Writer Akayla—I'm so glad you approve! XDD And I don't know if you're still recovering or not, but if you are, I hope this helps, and if you aren't, I hope you enjoy this anyway. LOL**

** Alice Gone Madd-*sings* Light 'em up-up-up! Light 'em up-up-up! Light 'em up-up-up! I'M ON FIIIIIIRRRRRRRREEEEEE! *speaks* Or should I say Hunter's on fire... as in she's a pyrokenetic. XDD *returns hug***

** Skyress98—I don't wanna honk my own horn, so I'll have Optimus honk his instead. *turns to red and blue Peterbilt* Prime? *horn honks* I KNOW RIGHT?! XDDDDDDDD**

** Okay now, on to the story! And yes, the title is a little bit inspired by _Hunger Games_. **

** I do not own Transformers Prime, unfortunately. I'm simply borrowing the characters. I only own my OC, the Hybrid race, and any other characters you may not recognize.**

* * *

" Say goodbye... as we dance with the devil tonight! Don't you dare look at him in the eyes! As we dance with the devil... whoa-oh-oh...!" Breaking Benjamin; _Dance With the Devil_

30

Ω And the Games Begin Ω

" Ugh! Do you even know where you're going?" Miko groaned as the four friends made their way through the maze that was the ventilation shaft of the Nemesis. Thankfully, now that Hunter was aware that she was a pyrokenetic, they didn't have to worry about the dark because she kept a small blaze of blue flame alight in the palm of her hand. A flashlight would've been better, but it still made a fine torch and gave off enough light to travel by. Nobody complained.

" Yes!" Hunter hissed in annoyance, looking back over her shoulder to offer Miko an disgruntled glare. Then she turned back to the path and added quietly, " Generally speaking." To be honest; no, Hunter wasn't quite sure was to where to go to get to the ground-bridge. She had a general metal map of the route inside her head, but that map was based on information of how to get there by traveling the halls of the warship, not the ventilation shafts. Besides that, all these twists and turns of the shaft all but completely threw off her sense of direction. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea. After going around a few more corners, Hunter paused and sighed heavily. " This isn't working," she admitted.

" So we _**are**_ lost," Miko summarized. " I knew it!"

" Lost?" Raf gulped, horror on his face. " On the Decepticon warship?"

" We're not lost," Hunter declared firmly, turning back to face her friends with a fist perched on her hip. " We just... don't know where we are."

" Uh, Hunter, that's the very definition of 'lost'," Jack pointed out.

Hunter gave him a scowl, knowing that he was right... like always. How could someone be _**so**_ right _**all the stinkin' time**_?! That's when a light-bulb went off in her head. " Hold on," she said, extinguishing the flame in her hand. " Let me try this." Moving off to the side of the shaft, Hunter lowered herself to the floor and sat cross-legged. Her hands resting upon her knees, she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to let all the tension out of her body. With that accomplished, she began to concentrate.

" Is she meditating?" Miko questioned in disbelief.

Hunter cracked one eye open and looked at her friends. " Not meditation," she corrected. " Just... trying to concentrate so that maybe I can use my ESP."

" What do you mean "maybe"?" Raf asked.

" My foresight is one of my powers that I've never been able to control, and since my ESP is connected to it, I've never really been able to control I either. But maybe if I concentrate hard enough I can get it to work again."

" Again?" Jack repeated.

" I was able to control it once before; right as I got to the detention level—that's how I was able to find your guys' cell. But that was when I was trying to locate living beings, not an inanimate object. Now, shush," the redhead ordered as she closed her eye again. " I need to focus." Taking another slow, deep breath, Hunter let her body relax again and focused on getting her ESP under control. Sure enough, she was soon holding the reigns and was reaching out the power, searching the ship for the bridge. For several minutes, all she could sense were the Decepticons, but then she sensed something else. There. That was it. Opening her deep blue eyes again, Hunter stood back up and reignited the blue flame in her palm. Taking a few more steps down the shaft she looked first one way and then another, and then she turned to her friends again. She jerked her head for them to follow her. " Come on," she said, " let's get outta here."

* * *

Optimus drove down the hall into the main room of the base before parking and then transforming to his true form. He headed over to the lab where he knew Ratchet would be. Stopping in the open door, he looked inside to see Ratchet tinkering on one of the medical tools and then knocked on the door frame to let the medic know he was there. " Ratchet, anything?" he questioned when his old friend looked over at him.

The white and amber Autobot slowly shook his head. He knew just how worried his commander was about Hunter, and he knew that every minute that went by without any news of what was happening on her mission was driving the Prime absolutely insane with worry. He then asked, " How did the Lennoxes take it?"

" About as well as can be expected."

The sounds of motors drew their attention and they both looked in the direction of the noise. Bulkhead, Arcee, and Bumblebee were returning from their patrol. Barely even coming to a stop, all three returned to their Cybertronian modes and came in the direction of the two mechs, expectant looks on their faces.

Already knowing their question, Ratchet held up a hand to stop them before they even started. " They haven't returned," he sighed.

The expectancy immediately drained from the 'Bots faces. " Are you serious?" Bulkhead demanded, livid with worry over Miko.

" It's been..." Arcee started to rave and then she broke off and tried to do some figuring in her processor, but was far too anxious to do it. " How many hours has it been?" she asked to really no one in particular.

" Too many," Optimus answered, voice barely above a whisper. He turned and began to walk away from the group. " Far too many."

Without warning, the moment they'd all been waiting for happened.

_**/ Jack to Autobot Outpost Omega One!/**_ Jack's urgent voice came suddenly came in over the comm-system.

All of the Autobots immediately perked up and swung towards the comm. " Jack?!" Arcee exclaimed, relief in her voice. " Are you all right?"

_**/ Well, better than we were before anyway. Whoa!/ **_ There was the sound of an explosion in the background.

_**/ Okay, that was way too close!/**_ Miko's voice also came out of the background.

" Jack where are you?" Arcee asked.

_**/ Down on the ground below the Nemesis. Duck!/ **_ Another explosion. _** / You guys need to open the ground-bridge!/**_

_** / Hrah-ugh! Tell 'em my coordinates should still be programmed into the bridge. Yah!/ **_That last voice was Hunter's. That last voice was also what really caught Optimus' attention.

Quickly striding over to the controls for the ground-bridge, Optimus pulled the lever and glanced at the tunnel as the greenish-blue vortex powered up. He then turned back to the comm-system. " Jack, we are opening the ground-bridge now—prepare to return to base."

_**/ Yes, sir./**_

__With that, Optimus turned to his team. If they wanted to get the children back to the base safe and sound they had to go out into the fire fight and give Hunter back-up. They'd failed her one time and all of this had happened; they weren't going to fail her again. And he wasn't going to lose her again either. " Autobots," he announced, voice like thunder, " roll out!" At that, he transformed into his alternate mode and raced off into the vortex, his tires squealing and leaving black marks on the floor.

His three soldiers followed his example without complaint.

* * *

Jack, Miko, and Raf all huddled down behind a big boulder. They all flinched as another explosion went off right next to their shelter and sent shards of rock flying everywhere. It didn't matter how many times they got caught in a firefight between the 'Bots and 'Cons, they absolutely hated the experience. " Oh, what's taking them so long?!" Raf whimpered, pressing his hands over his ears to try and block out the racket.

All at once Hunter was thrown to the ground beside them, still in her Cybertronian form. " Oof!" A Decepticon leaped on her and managed to slam her head back into the ground. " Ahh!" Snarling, the fifteen-year-old threw a fist up at his helm, razors extracted, and skewered him right through the head. The light flickered in the mech's optics before fading away. With a grunt, the femmling threw him away and rolled behind the boulder with her friends, transforming to her human form as she did. " You guys okay?" she questioned with a pant.

" 'Bout as good as we can be, I guess," Jack replied. " You?"

" I'll be a lot better once I get you three outta here and back to base," his friend stated. Suddenly Hunter's ears pricked to a familiar sound and she turned to see the ground-bridge opening up about a football field's distance away. " That's our ticket outta here," Hunter declared. Turning back to her friends she jerked her head in that direction. " Go. I'll cover you." That said, she transformed back to her robot form and jumped back out from behind the boulder, pulling her bow out of her quiver and loading it with an arrow. " Rrraaahhh!"

The three humans watched after her as she ran off, then they all began sprinting towards the ground-bridge. They'd almost covered half the distance when suddenly four very familiar and very welcome vehicles practically ramped out of the vortex. The cars raced towards them. As the motorcycle, muscle car, and ATV **[A/N Is that was Bulk is? I was never completely sure...] **skidded to a stop in front of them, the Peterbilt roared on by and kept going towards the main cannon fire where Hunter was.

" You kids okay?" Bulkhead wondered, sounding concerned.

" We'll be better when we're outta here!" Raf howled, running towards 'Bee whose passenger door was already open.

" Come on then, kids!" Arcee ordered. " Metal to the pedal!"

Raf was already safe inside his guardian's interior. Jack jumped onto Arcee, Miko dove into Bulkhead, and all three 'Bots spun around and burned rubber back towards the ground-bridge and safety. None of them noticed the almost imperceptible flash of red and black that entered the vortex before they did.

" Ugh!" The Eradicon grunted in absolute frustration as the femmling he was shooting at kept dodging his cannon fire. " Don't you ever die?!" He was suddenly delivered a kick to the helm that was so powerful he was immediately decapitated. The headless body took a few stumbling steps before finally collapsing to the ground.

" Tried it once," Hunter replied with a shrug. " Didn't like it much." All at once her nerves tingled and the next thing she knew she was being broadsided by another Decepticon. " Argh-uh!" The fifteen-year-old slammed into the ground, a dull ache starting to take form in the right side of her head. Groaning, the Hybrid shook her head to try and clear the daze as he pushed herself up onto her side. A shadow looming over her, she looked up and snarled at the 'Con. " Cheap shot," she rumbled.

" Good enough to bring you down," the mech retorted, priming his cannon and aiming it at her.

Hunter simply continued to glare down the barrel of the cannon, still too dazed to get to her feet. Then there came the sound of a cannon. The femmling squeezed her optics shut and flinched, bracing for the searing pain... but it never came. Opening one optic, she looked up to see a hole had been blown through the spark-chamber of the 'Con. The dead mech crashed to the ground and standing behind him was the most beautiful and welcome sight the fifteen-year-old had ever seen. Behind her scarlet and black battle-mask, a grin so big and wide it looked like a grimace crossed her faceplate. " Optimus!" she cried, tears of joy pricking at her optics.

Pulling his optics away from the dead Decepticon, Optimus grinned back at his spark-daughter from behind his own battle-mask. " Hello, my shooting star," he purred warmly. Stepping forward, the large Autobot knelt down, scooped her up into his arms, and stood again, Hunter cradled protectively against his chestplate. " I thought you might be in need of some assistance," he said with a slight teasing tone.

Retracting her mask so her grin showed, Hunter wrapped her arms around her spark-father's neck and hugged him with all her might. Relief flooded over her. " Once again, you're intuition was spot-on, big guy," she congratulated him. She nestled her head in the crook of his neck and sighed happily, " I can't tell you how relieved I am you're here, Optimus."

Suddenly a rain of lasers fell upon them. Hunter yipped and Optimus fell to one knee and crouched down so he'd be a smaller target. " And I'll be even more relieved when we're out of _**here**_ and back _**home**_!" With that, Hunter pushed out of the Prime's arms and crouched beside him. Once again she took out her bow, loaded it, and let the arrow go. Instant extinguishment!

" You're quite good with that," Optimus praised her.

" Thanks," Hunter replied, slipping her battle-mask on again. " If only I could say that about my aim with my guns." She began to reload.

As she did this, Optimus extracted his cannons, took aim, and fired, taking down six 'Cons with a single shot each time.

" Show-off," Hunter muttered, which caused the Prime to snort in amusement. Then she let the arrow go again and was rewarded with yet another kill. She began to load her bow again when something finally processed in her head. The 'Cons—they were ringing around them; hemming them in; trapping them. " They're cutting his off from the ground-bridge," Hunter stated the obvious, now moving in back-to-back with her commander who was now standing.

Optimus nodded and made an agreeing hum. He could see it too. " What is your plan?" he questioned.

Hunter froze for a second, wondering if she'd heard him right, before looking over her shoulder up at him with a questioning look. " _**My**_ plan?" she repeated him.

Behind his mask, the Prime smirked. " This is _**your**_ mission," he explained. " You're in command here—I'm simply the reinforcement."

Hunter looked away from him and back at the ring of Decepticons, thinking carefully over her options and planning the strategy. Finally she decided. Turning, she drew back the loaded bow-string, aimed again, and fired. The arrow sank into the spark-chamber of a Decepticon, dropping him. Looking back at the red and blue mech, Hunter pointed to the squad of 'Cons that were directly in their path to the ground-bridge. " You take them," she ordered, a commanding tone in her voice. " I'll see about some cover so that they can't follow."

Optimus grinned. Without a doubt, Hunter had taken inspiration for her battle-field voice from his. He couldn't have been more proud—not because she was modeling herself after him, but because he could already see the makings of a great leader and warrior within her. " Yes, ma'am," he responded, and began to follow out his orders.

Slipping her bow back in the quiver, Hunter ran a few steps away from the Prime. She punched out her fists at the ground. " Huh-huh!" Large, blue fireballs shot out from her fists and ignited a small bush there was well as the surrounding rocky earth, the flames were so hot. Holding her hands out so that her palms faced against the fire, the femmling turned back began running around the ring of Decepticons, using her pyrokenesis to pull the fire after her like a train. Soon the inferno was a scorching ring of raging flames that walled the two Autobots off from their opponents save for a small opening at the front where Optimus was firing. If any Cybertronian tried to walk that, they'd be melted instantly. Running back to her spark-father, Hunter looked up at him expectantly. " Ready?"

Optimus simply nodded and the two quickly transformed to their vehicular modes and barreled out of the ring of fire, the Topkick just a bit ahead of the semi. They blew through the opening in the flames that was almost closing, plowed through the few 'Cons that still stood at the mouth, and raced across to the bridge before disappearing. The vortex boomed closed behind them.

* * *

The scarlet and black-and-silver striped Topkick and the red and blue Peterbilt zoomed down the hard-light vortex towards the destination at the other end. Right before the pickup was about to exit the ground-bridge, it almost ramped and transformed in mid-air. The femmling landed in a crouch in the main room of the Autobot base, a few pieces of her armor still settling back into place. The semi did the same thing and landed right beside her, some of his armor still adjusting as well.

Standing, Hunter retracted her battle-mask and grinned victoriously up at the mech. " I win!" she cheered, pumping her fists up in the air and jumping. " I win!"

Also rising to his feet, Optimus put his hands on his hips and gazed down at her with a smirk. " I wasn't aware we were racing," he responded, retracting his mask as well.

" Of course we were," Hunter stated matter of factually, crossing her arms over her chestplate. " And I beat your sorry skid-plate!"

" You are the most devious little thing," Optimus commented. Suddenly he snatched her and pulled her into his arms. Expertly pinning his spark-daughter against him, he began to tickle her. " Come here, you!" he playfully growled.

" Optimus!" the Hybrid shrieked. Laughing, she pushed away from him and darted a safe distance away. She blew a raspberry at her spark-father, causing him to snort and shake his head. That's when Hunter suddenly noticed it: the base—it seemed so... vacant. It was quiet; almost too quiet. It was like she and Optimus were the only one's there. Looking up at the Prime with a quizzical expression, she asked, " Does it seem a little too quiet around here to you?"

At that, Optimus took a moment to observe and listen. Hunter was right. Where was everyone: his soldier, Ratchet, the children? Looking back at the femmling with a look that said he was just as confused, the Prime nodded.

" Where is everyone?" Hunter inquired.

After a few seconds, the duo decided to go in search of their friends and they both went in opposite directions so they could cover the base more quickly. Hunter went off down the hall that led to the sleeping quarters. It didn't take her long to search through the berthrooms and the showers (though it felt extremely awkward walking into the male's washroom) and she was just about ready to go back through them and do a double-check before reporting back to Optimus when suddenly a ghostly feeling of weariness suddenly came over her. The sensation was so strong that the young Hybrid all but collapsed against the wall. But the strange thing was... Hunter didn't feel weak—not in the physical sense at least. No, the feeling wasn't hers... it was coming through the spark-link she shared with Optimus.

Optimus...

As Hunter continued to slump against the wall, the sensation intensified to the point it felt like her—or _**his **_rather—life-force was being leeched out of his body. A feeling a dread knotted in the teenager's tank and her body went cold. She knew that feeling all too well. Suddenly, the femmling knew why the base was so quiet, and she also knew that she and Optimus weren't alone. Bombardier was here! And he had Optimus! Adrenaline hitting her systems along with the panic, Hunter pushed off the wall and sprinted off in the direction the spark-bond led her. " Optimus!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. She had to get to the Prime before it was too late! " Optimus!" The Hybrid raced out of the hallway, raced across the main room and into the next hall. She rounded the corner and there was Bombardier, holding Optimus up against the wall so that the Prime wasn't even touching the floor.

His hands were around Optimus' neck and Hunter could see the life of her spark-father draining down into her enemy. Rage boiled up inside her. " Huh-rah!" Leaping up into the air, the femmling raised her leg parallel to her body and swung it down, sending a jet of fire at the older Hybrid, forcing him away from the Autobot commander. " Hands off my Prime, slag-heap!" She turned back to see Optimus lying on the floor unconscious. " Prime?!" Kneeling down, she flipped him over onto his back and was rewarded with a meek groan. Relief washed over Hunter; thank Primus—he was alive! That's when she was grabbed by the backplate, roughly jerked up off the floor, and thrown down the hall. " Oof!" The scarlet and black-and-silver striped femmling hit the floor roughly before positioning herself so that she could roll back up to her feet and face her opponent. She moved into a ready position.

Bomber snarled in annoyance. " Can't you ever just stay outta the damn way!" he roared.

" I'm a fifteen-year-old girl, Bomber," Hunter replied in a sweet and innocent voice that greatly contradicted the look on her face and the form she was in. " Being nosy and getting in the way comes as part of the job description."

With that, Bombardier charged, drew his fist back and punched out at her. Hunter held up an arm and deflected it. He tried again and once more she stopped him. Kicking a leg out, the black and red mech meant to connect with her side and send her crashing through the wall, but the younger Hybrid firmly held her ground, wrapped her arms around his leg, turned, and threw him farther down the hall. " Gah!" Bomber hit the floor and rolled. After a quick shake of the head he was back up and charging her. The fight went on for several long moments until both Hybrids were perspiring and puffing heavy vents to try and help their cooling systems cool them down faster. " I thought you failed at defensive combat," Bomber commented as Hunter managed to block yet another of his kicks with one of her own.

" Yeah, well, I've been practicing a bit," the femmling replied simply.

" Is that so?" All at once, Bomber brushed her hands against his sides, secretly slipping something out of his interior compartments as he did, reeled his hands back behind them, and swung them forward with such force that he knocked Hunter's raised forearms out of the way. His hands smacked hard against the sides of her helm, pressing two little circular disc-type things to her temples.

" Ah!" Hunter stumbled back, dazed. Hands going to her already throbbing head, her fingers grazed against the discs. Before she could think about what they were, a shrill, piercing, sonic shriek began to resonate painfully through her processor. " Ahhh-ahh!" Hunter screamed and grimaced, instinctively pressing her hands over her audio-receptors to try and block out the noise, but it didn't go away. It intensified instead. The teenager cried out in absolute agony as she threw herself against the wall, hands still on her audio-receptors, desperately trying to find a way to get away from the sound. It felt like her very processor was being scrambled! Groaning, she sank to her knees and doubled over. It wouldn't stop—she wanted it to stop—**WHY WOULDN'T IT STOP?!** All at once, as quickly as it had started, it did stop, and Hunter groaned in sheer relief. But then she was kicked in the side of the head. " Agh!" Hitting the floor, the fifteen-year-old's optics slightly fluttered open and she looked up to see Bombardier—or a blurry mass of him really—standing over her.

" Let the games begin, tidbit."

Hunter faded into oblivion.

* * *

When Hunter started to come to she wished she was still unconscious, because she had the most massive headache this side of the galaxy. Groaning, she gently shook her head and raised her arm to massage her temple. One problem: she couldn't raise her arm. She couldn't raise either of her arms—they were chain around something and behind her back. Come to think of it, her ankles were chained to, as was her torso. Wait a second... not only was she chained to something... she was chained _**upside-down**_ to something! And the "something" was in fact an anchor! And she was chained upside-down to said anchor in her human form. How did she get in human form? She was knocked out in her Autobot form and the only time she ever morphed between the two unwillingly was when she was met with an impact that was jarring enough to force her from one to the other or when she had a nightmare. Grunting and straining, Hunter tried to break the chains, but found that she couldn't. What was going on here? Where was she? Where were Optimus and the others? Where was Bombardier?! " Bombardier?!" she hollered at the tops of her lungs. " Bomber, you coward! Come out here and unchain me from this so I can kick your butt to Cybertron and back! Bomber?! **BOMBARDIER!**"

Without warning the anchor began moving

Hunter immediately stopped yelling and straining against the chains, a look of horror on her face. Her stomach twisted into a knot. Was she just imagining things, or was the anchor really moving and taking her with it? Craning her neck, Hunter looked up to see a chain and pulley high above. Yes, she really was going down—but to where? She tried to move her head so that she could see, but she was chained so that she couldn't.

Just as suddenly as the anchor had began moving, it came to an abrupt halt.

Hunter stayed still and waited. Somehow, she didn't get the feeling that that was the end of this "amusement" ride. Primus, her head hurt! And all the energon rushing to it didn't help either! The Hybrid's thoughts were soon diverted from her aching head to the sound of a robotic voice.

" Release in ten seconds," the voice announced.

Hunter stomach plummeted. That did not sound, by any means, good.

" Ten, nine, eight..."

Hunter prepared herself and tried to think up a plan, but it was hard to plan ahead when you had no idea what you were headed for.

" Seven, six, five..."

When you had no idea what you were headed for? That was it! The redhead tried her hardest to concentrate on her foresight and control it.

" Four, three, two..."

She almost had it! She almost...

" One."

Too late. The anchor was freed from the chain and falling, splashing down into deep, icy cold water, dragging Hunter down with it.

* * *

***evil laughter* And you all thought everything was gonna be okay! MUAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! But don't worry. I'm planning on taking a break from my other fics so that I can finish this one since there's only a few more chapters left. Warning, these next couple chapters will be fight scenes, so if you don't do well with blood and gore... well... you can't skip over them because they're gonna be important so... tough. I'm very sympathetic, huh? **


End file.
